LAUREL – The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Reclaim Our River Program – Nanticoke Series, in partnership with the Delaware Nature Society’s Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, and the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, will host two free presentations in March on saving the monarch butterfly, gardening for butterflies, and the importance of clean water.

The presentations will address the monarch butterfly population’s decline of more than 90 percent worldwide over the past 20 years. This is a critical environmental loss, since flowering plants depend on pollinators, including butterflies, to reproduce. Pollinators enable flowering plants to purify water and prevent erosion, through roots that hold the soil in place, and provide foliage that buffers the impact of rain.

On March 2, butterfly enthusiast Mike McFarlin of Milton will speak about his efforts to help repopulate Delaware’s monarch butterfly population, by raising hundreds of them each summer. In addition, he will explain how attendees can volunteer as stewards, and adopt an area of land that supports pollinator habitat.

The second presentation, on March 30, will be led by Alice Mohrman of the Delaware Nature Society’s Abbott’s Mill Nature Center and focus on gardening for butterflies. She will also provide tips on how to landscape yards with attractive native plants that support wildlife habitat, and help reduce waterway pollution.

A limited number of free milkweed seeds will be available to participants, along with information on activities that support clean water. Attendees also will learn about the 2020 Reclaim Our River–Nanticoke Series, which offers numerous opportunities to learn techniques for keeping local waterways clean. Participants are encouraged to arrive early.

Both presentations will begin at 6 p.m. at the Laurel Library, located at 101 East 4th Street, Laurel, DE 19956.

For more information about the presentations, contact Alice Mohrman at 302-422-0847, or alice@delawarenaturesociety.org. For more information on the Reclaim Our River Program, contact Philip Miller at 302-608-5468, or Philip.miller@delaware.gov.

Contact: Phil Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship Nonpoint Source Program, 302-608-5468, philip.miller@delaware.gov

BLADES –The fifth annual Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta – presented by the Town of Blades in conjunction with DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship’s Reclaim Our River Program, Delaware Nature Society’s Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, and the Nanticoke River Sail & Power Squadron – will cast off Saturday, Aug. 4 at the Nanticoke River Public Marine Park, 26 North Market Street, Blades, DE 19973. Sign-in and registration begin at 11 a.m., with judging of boats’ appearances at noon, and races starting at 12:30 p.m.

The Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta is open to anyone who’s willing to build a boat from recycled cardboard and paddle it approximately 200 yards to the regatta finish line. First-place awards will be given for winners of races in five different categories: individual, youth, teens, family, and organizations or businesses. Special awards will be given for “Pride of the Fleet,” “Most Whimsical Boat,” and “Team Spirit.” Also, spectators will be asked to pick a “People’s Choice” award winner, while a special “Titanic Award” will be given for the “Most Dramatic Sinking!”

Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta registration fees are $20 per entry before July 28, and $30 per entry from July 29 to Aug. 4. Participants can also register the day of the event. Boats may be any size, shape or design, but must be made of recycled cardboard. Boats should be painted with multiple coats of any one-part polyurethane or enamel paint. Boat decorations may be removed after judging, and prior to the race start.

Participants are encouraged to challenge others to race in the Recycled Cardboard Boat Regatta for one-on-one bragging rights. After all the races are completed, skippers of cardboard boats may challenge another skipper and their boat to a race. Both challengers pay a $15 fee for a challenge race, and challenges can only be issued between cardboard boats entered in the same regatta categories.

The event also includes music, food, and beverages, and opportunities to learn from the Reclaim Our River (ROR) partnership about how to protect Delaware’s waterways. The ROR-Nanticoke Series is devoted to bringing monthly events, workshops, and recreational activities to the Nanticoke Watershed. The series offers participants fun opportunities to connect with Delaware’s waterways and provides important information on water quality that can help in protecting aquatic resources.

The ROR partnership also welcomes event sponsors, with proceeds going toward event costs, river restoration, and water quality education. Sponsorships begin at $50.

To register for the event, and for rules and other information, please visit https://blades.delaware.gov/events/672/5th-annual-recycled-cardboard-boat-regatta/.

Contact: Philip Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, Conservation Programs Section, 302-290-3578, or email philip.miller@delaware.gov

Vol. 48, No. 200