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Below are descriptions of the presentations planned for Day one of the 2026 DNERR Research and Stewardship Symposium. Day one will be a “choose your own adventure” to allow participants to attend multiple sessions at the St. Jones Reserve in Dover. There will also be a poster session to showcase research projects that are completed on DNERR property or in conjunction with DNERR staff.
Day one will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the St. Jones Reserve at 818 Kitts Hummock Rd., in Dover.
The Anticipating Threats to Natural Systems (ACTIONS) project is an interdisciplinary research initiative led by the University of Delaware in collaboration with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). This presentation highlights long-term monitoring efforts at the St. Jones Reserve, Delaware, where researchers investigate how sea-level rise, flooding and saltwater intrusion alter the chemical, biological, physical and engineering properties of coastal soils.
Using extensive field instrumentation, real-time environmental monitoring and complementary laboratory studies, the project aims to improve understanding of coastal terrain hazards and their impacts on ecosystems, infrastructure, agriculture and military operations.
Findings support predictive capabilities, informed decision-making and resilience planning for vulnerable coastal communities and critical installations facing accelerating climate-driven change.
Tidal marshes in Delaware, such as those within the DNERR, face several challenges due to land development, reduced sediment supply and the increasing pressures of sea-level rise. Despite this, these ecosystems can be important for mitigating climate change mitigation, particularly through carbon sequestration.
This study assesses the carbon sequestration capacity of coastal marshes within the DNERR using a comparative analysis of datasets derived from historical LiDAR, sediment core analysis and eddy covariance measurements. By examining different temporal scales, the research quantifies the role of marshes as carbon sinks and identifies key environmental and spatial factors influencing carbon accumulation.
With the DNERR and state offering a wealth of data, including sediment accumulation rates, eddy covariance data and updated LiDAR imagery, this project provides an opportunity to develop improved methods for quantifying carbon storage in coastal wetlands.
Collaborative Science brings together researchers, scientists, practitioners and community members to combine efforts, address management needs and share knowledge. DNERR engages in collaborative science through its research, stewardship and education programs.
In this session, participants will take a deeper dive into the collaborative science process, see examples of outputs from projects completed in Delaware and with DNERR, learn about the steps involved in conducting research at DNERR sites and engage in brainstorming discussions.
Bat monitoring data helps support research, monitoring and conservation efforts in Delaware. Bats provide valuable ecosystem services through pest consumption, plant pollination and seed dispersal.
DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Nongame Mammal Biological Aide will discuss the species of bats present in Delaware, how the Delaware Bat Program monitors the impacts of white-nose syndrome and other threats and ways you can help contribute to bat conservation.
Marsh bird surveys help with local and regional efforts to understand the status of these important species.
DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Marsh Bird Biologist will discuss population monitoring efforts for marsh birds in Delaware coastal marshes, including point count surveys, nest monitoring and bird banding. Learn biological information about several marsh bird Species of Greatest Conservation Need including the Saltmarsh Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow and Clapper Rail, preliminary results from current monitoring efforts and the importance of continuing to monitor marsh bird populations into the future
Raptor research contributes to data collected for statewide wildlife and habitat management efforts.
DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Raptor, Grassland and Forest Bird Biologist will discuss two of Delaware’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need: the American Kestrel and the American Barn Owl. Learn biological information about these species as well as current research efforts, tracking results, benefits of conserving these species and also how you can get involved.
Take a walk around the St. Jones Reserve to learn about pollinator and rain gardens, a wetland septic filtration system, landscaping with native plants and more.
This session involves walking outside on an uneven surface – participants should wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather (layers are encouraged).
Horseshoe crabs have hard carapaces that become home to a community of organisms. Three DNREC summer interns (2024, 2025 and 2026) identified and quantified the organisms attached to adult horseshoe crabs found on Delaware Bay beaches during the spawning season. Epibiont abundance and frequency were analyzed based on horseshoe crab sex and size.
Sea level rise and climate change present major threats to tidal marshes nationwide.
To track and understand these impacts, the National Marsh Synthesis Team (NAMASTE) has synthesized vegetation data at 85 marshes across 17 coastal states within 20 National Estuarine Research Reserves.
Our results show (1) the vast majority of Reserves are seeing significant shifts in plant communities, (2) SLR is the main factor associated with plant change and (3) plant community change differs across region, salinity and zone.
Delaware’s land surface is subsiding while global sea level is rising resulting in relative sea-level rise. Since 2000, the rate of relative sea level rise is about 5.5 mm/yr at the tide gauge in Lewes, Delaware.
Land subsidence at the gauge accounts for over half of the rate at 2.5 mm/yr of the rise. But most of the Delaware coastline does not have a nearby tide gauge for measuring relative sea level and estimating subsidence. Subsidence can vary spatially, so the risk in these areas is poorly constrained.
We use historic data and new measurements from the Delaware Subsidence Network (DelSuN) to estimate land subsidence in Delaware.
Visit the Aspen Landing water quality station (along the St. Jones boardwalk) to learn about the National Estuarine Research Reserve System-wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) with a focus on the abiotic components of water quality, meteorological and nutrient monitoring.
See first-hand and learn about the scientific equipment critical to these efforts. Following the site visit, the presenter will demonstrate how to access SWMP data via the Centralized Data Management Office website and show various export and visualization tools available on the site.
This session involves walking outside – participants should wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather (layers are encouraged).
As avian species adapt to changing environments, the techniques used in nest construction can give insight into how they use building materials. Anthropogenic debris in songbird nests near the DNERR visitor center inspired a project on how these two worlds interact.
This project’s purpose was to understand how avian species use anthropogenic debris in nests and to develop outreach materials and education programs to inspire responsible wildlife viewing through the data collected.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” are widely detected across coastal environments, posing risks to both human and ecological health. Within coastal watersheds, salt marshes act as filters for several contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides, but their capacity to retain PFAS is unknown.
To bridge this knowledge gap, we characterize PFAS distributions across shallow and deep groundwater, surface water and soil within the St. Jones Reserve.
We also evaluate different geochemical conditions and hydrologic transport processes shaping PFAS distributions, with critical implications for future coastal modeling, management and remediation.
Related Topics: coastal programs, DNERR, education, estuary expo, ocean and coasts, science, stewardship, training
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