I-ADAPT Helps Residents Identify Strategies to Prepare For Flooding

Delaware residents can now take advantage of a new web-based tool designed to help them identify steps they can take to protect their property from flood damage.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Climate, Coastal, and Energy and Division of Watershed Stewardship have launched I-ADAPT, the Individual Adaptation Decision And Planning Tool, to help Delawareans become more resilient to climate hazards, particularly flooding.

“Flooding is not something that impacts only our coastal communities,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Climate change is bringing more frequent and intense storms that result in flooding in our urban and inland communities. I-ADAPT can help identify ways that residents can prepare their homes and businesses before flooding occurs.”

Users input answers about their property and preferences and I-ADAPT uses that information to identify personalized adaptation solutions they can incorporate now or in the future to increase their property’s resilience to flood events. The recommendations also include estimated budgets and additional resources for specific projects.

At the end of the survey, users have the option of having recommendations emailed to them for ease and accessibility. To ensure user privacy, information shared with I-ADAPT is not saved. Users who do not save or email the adaptation strategies to themselves would need to recomplete the survey to receive the recommendations again.

DNREC has scheduled meetings in each of the three counties to promote awareness about I-ADAPT and how it works.

The meeting locations, times and dates are:

• Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Route 9 Library & Innovation Center, 3022 New Castle Avenue, New Castle
• Tuesday, May 21, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover
• Thursday, May 23, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Avenue, Lewes

Computers and trained staff will be available to assist the public in using I-ADAPT to generate adaptation strategies for their individual properties. Visitors can stop by at any time during the informational events to learn about I-ADAPT and try it out for themselves.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, Michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov

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Tree For Every Delawarean Initiative Proposals Due Oct. 23

Municipalities can join state agencies and non-governmental organizations with 501(c)(3) status in applying for funding from the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) for their tree-planting projects.

Funding requests can include multiple projects and may range from $20,000 to $90,000.

“Planting trees is a nature-based solution to reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and it plays a critical role in helping fight climate change,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Together with increased energy efficiency and transitioning to clean energy sources, TEDI is helping Delaware move toward a sustainable future.”

Trees also improve air and water quality, preserve soil, and they support wildlife.

Last year, a total of $100,000 in funding was awarded to projects, resulting in almost 7,500 trees being planted. Since the program launched in November 2021, approximately 80,000 trees have been planted with the support of TEDI funds. Combined with other funding sources, community efforts and individual plantings, more than 180,000 trees have been planted toward a goal of 1 million.

This is the first year that municipalities are eligible to apply for funding.

Applications must be submitted to the DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy by 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23. Visit the TEDI website for more information on the program and call for proposals requirements, or email questions to TEDI@delaware.gov.

Delawareans can join in the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative by tracking trees they plant on their own property and inputting the information in the TEDI Tracker at de.gov/tedi.

Information on funding from other TEDI partners, as well as tips on native species, proper planting techniques and how to care for trees can also be found on the TEDI website.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, Michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov

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Meetings Planned in Each of Delaware’s Three Counties

Balancing how to best protect our marine resources while considering the needs of people who use or make their livelihood in Delaware’s Bay and ocean waters is the goal of an ocean and bay plan being developed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).

To help develop the plan, DNREC is hosting three open house listening sessions to get feedback on how people use the ocean and bay, and to learn what is important to them.

“From our long-established fishing industry and commercial transport to tourism businesses to recreation and the emerging needs of clean energy, the Delaware Bay and ocean are key components of Delaware’s economy,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “At the same time, the ocean and bay are essential components of Delaware’s ecosystem that directly impact human well-being, from food security to public health. This plan will help us identify priorities and balance these sometimes competing interests.”

The listening sessions will take place in each of the three counties.

• Wednesday, June 28, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center, 3022 New Castle Ave., New Castle
• Wednesday, July 12, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Ave., Lewes
• Sunday, July 23, 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover

Displays will highlight the resources and activities that contribute to Delaware’s vibrant coastal economy, healthy environment and core foundation. Attendees will be provided an introductory presentation on the goals and expected outcomes of the ocean and bay plan, as well as an overview of the anticipated development process.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to share what kind of needs they have to be able to use and enjoy ocean and bay resources responsibly, as well as resource management issues that are important to them.

While there will be no virtual component to the meetings, all session materials will be available on the Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan webpage, as well as a link to provide comments online.

When completed, the plan will serve as a reference document for existing and potential new ocean and bay users, identify and characterize ocean and bay uses and serve as an inventory of ocean and bay resources.

The plan will also describe the impacts of each water-dependent human activity on other uses and identified resources, as well as provide recommendations for best practices for balancing ocean and bay activities with the conservation of marine resources.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Jim Lee, jamesw.lee@delaware.gov

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Rachel Felver, Communications Director of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

A social marketing strategy to improve shoreline management is the topic of a free webinar at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 16, presented by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, in partnership with the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee.

The webinar speaker is Rachel Felver, the communications director of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, who will provide an overview of the strategy involving a community-based social marketing campaign.

Felver’s presentation will showcase how the campaign influences environmentally sensitive actions in relation to shoreline management, specifically with living shorelines. The webinar will highlight how shoreline degradation has a direct and negative impact on water quality, while natural shoreline protection provides more resilience against climate change. The webinar presenter will focus on the materials, preparation and outcomes of the Chesapeake Bay specific marketing strategy. Additionally, the lecture will review the project findings, share the toolkits created, and ask for assistance in helping identify the best methods to put this information into the hands of those who could use it.

The webinar is part of an ongoing virtual series offered by the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee, a work group dedicated to facilitating the understanding, peer review and implementation of living shoreline strategy within the state. DNREC’s participation is represented by the DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment program and the DNREC Coastal Training program.

For more information, visit Delaware Living Shorelines. Registration for the webinar and more information about it are also available on the DNREC events and meetings calendar at de.gov/DNRECmeetings.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov