Pages Tagged With: "draft"
Outreach for the 2025 DEWAP took multiple forms, including formal and informal meetings, workshops, surveys, outreach materials (e.g., presentations, news releases), websites, and social media, as well as personal contacts and correspondence. A dedicated DEWAP website and an email address were established to disseminate information to a wider-audience and receive public input throughout the process.
The DEWAP will be periodically reviewed and revised according to the development and implementation timeframes of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control – Division of Fish and Wildlife (DNREC DFW) and partners scheduled programs and updates (Element 6). This will be necessary as the monitoring components discussed in this chapter contribute to the
The DEWAP fits into an existing framework of statewide strategies established to conserve and protect the state’s natural resources, including habitat for wildlife. These strategies focus on different approaches to conservation (e.g., land acquisition, preservation, changes in land use, infrastructure investments, policy, etc.), but they are all coordinated and have shared mapping elements and common
Conservation actions and research, survey, and monitoring needs were developed for the 2015 DEWAP based on a review of existing conservation and management plans and information provided by DNREC DFW staff and key partners and stakeholders during the DEWAP input process. These conservation programs and plans were identified through a literature search compiling current local,
Conservation issues, including threats or stressors, are human actions that adversely impact wildlife, native plants and natural communities, and the ecological processes that sustain them. Conservation actions are the measures taken to eliminate or minimize these impacts, or to mitigate their effects. While many Conservation Issues had their origins in the 2006 and 2015 DEWAPs
Habitat Classification The 2025 Wildlife Action Plan generally uses the same wildlife habitat classification scheme as the 2015 Wildlife Action Plan (DNREC DFW 2015). This classification includes all terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Terrestrial habitats and palustrine and estuarine wetland habitats were aligned as closely as possible with NatureServe Ecological
Need for Information and Planning Although not direct threats, gaps in information and lack of appropriate conservation planning are considered issues that call for important actions to address conservation of SGCN and key habitats. Lack of information on the distribution, status, and ecology of SGCN and key habitats is considered critical because
Introduction and Regional Perspective Climate change is a major threat to fish and wildlife habitats, populations, and assemblages. Climate change affects ecosystems as distributions of animals and plants change, the timing of natural events is disrupted, and community compositions and structures are altered. Species and populations likely to have greater sensitivities to
Urban wastewater includes stormwater runoff and sewage. Increases in stormwater occur concurrently with high levels of impervious surface and changes in land use associated with development. In older cities, including Wilmington, outdated, combined sewer and stormwater infrastructure can result in sewage flows into streams and rivers, and problems with sewage backup during flooding events. Efforts
The spread of invasive species poses a significant threat to SGCN throughout the Northeast. With Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (NEAFWA) funding through the Regional Conservation Needs (RCN) Grant Program, Klopfer (2012) identified 238 invasive species from 12 groups with a potential to adversely affect SGCN, while at the same time acknowledging that
Natural system modifications are defined as threats from actions that convert or degrade habitat in service of “managing” natural systems, often to improve human welfare (Salafsky et al. 2008). Fire Suppression One example of a natural system modification is the suppression of fire. Natural, lightning-caused
Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals This category includes threats from the consumptive use of biological resources, including deliberate and unintentional harvesting, as well as the persecution or control of specific species (Salafsky et al. 2008). This threat has been identified as an issue for many amphibian and reptile SGCN primarily due to
Roads and other transportation corridors have profound effects on wildlife populations. They represent major sources of pollutant load, and they can be barriers to dispersal for many species, fragmenting habitat and leading to genetic isolation of local populations. The ecological effects of roads are described in several reviews (Trombulak and Frissell 2000), including some focused
Offshore wind turbines.Photo: Andy Dingley / Wikipedia The Delaware Estuary is one of the nation’s largest petrochemical centers, and the potential for spills is an ever-present threat to estuarine and wetland systems and the SGCN that rely on them. The port complex of the Delaware River and Bay is the second largest
Agriculture is an important part of Delaware’s history, culture and economy. Many Delaware farmers utilize Best Management Practices (BMPs) and are enrolled in Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Department of Agriculture (USDA), or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) cost share programs that are environmentally friendly and minimize impacts to wildlife. Some agricultural practices, however,
Most Delaware SGCN depend, to some extent, on lands facing habitat loss and fragmentation from residential and commercial development. Delaware’s human population is predicted to increase by about 100,000 people between 2025 and 2050, resulting in increases in land development statewide (Delaware OSPC 2025). Land Development in the
Guiding Conservation on the Ground in Delaware A goal of SWAPs is the development of COAs that map and prioritize opportunities for conservation of key habitats and SGCN. AFWA Best Practices (2012) recommend that WAPs identify and spatially depict priority areas on the landscape that offer the best opportunities and potential for
In the process of identifying conservation actions for SGCN and their habitats, recurring patterns and priorities emerged that cross between taxonomic and ecological boundaries. These more general, statewide conservation actions were recognized to have broad impacts across taxa and habitats. These broader conservation actions address the primary statewide issues identified in Threats to SGCN and
Plant Diversity of Delaware Grass Pink Orchid (Calopogon tuberosus).Photo: Gary Stolz / USFWS Delaware’s plant species play a key role in supporting wildlife diversity. Although Delaware is small in land area, over 2400 species and varieties of plants have been documented
Invertebrate Diversity of Delaware Invertebrates account for an exceptionally large proportion of the biodiversity of Delaware. In Pennsylvania, where invertebrate species numbers have been quantified, Rawlins and Bier estimate that invertebrates make up 53.2% of the state’s species diversity, with plants, algae, fungi, and lichens accounting for 40%, and vertebrate animals only
Fish Diversity of Delaware Hickory shad (Alosa mediocris)Photo: Ryan Hagerty / USFWS At least one hundred and seventy-seven species of fish have been documented in Delaware waters. Seventy eight of these are considered SGCN in the state. NOAA estimates that 130 species
Amphibian and Reptile Diversity of Delaware Evidence indicates worldwide declines in amphibian (Stuart et al. 2004) and reptile populations and a need to identify the specific causes and impacts of these declines is warranted (Gibbons et al. 2000; LaRoe et al. 1995). There is a recognized national and regional need for advocacy
Landbird Diversity of Delaware Horned Lark.Photo: Richard Szlemp / USFWS While best known for its waterbird habitat, Delaware also provides critical habitat for landbirds. Important groups for which Delaware has particularly high regional responsibility include neotropical migrant songbirds that use the state for stopover habitat, migrating and wintering raptors,
Addressing Threats through Conservation Actions Conservation Actions are the measures taken to eliminate, minimize, or mitigate the impacts of the issues facing Delaware’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and their habitats. This chapter addresses Element 4 and presents the actions the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of
Introduction Delaware’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and their habitats face numerous issues that may adversely affect them and compromise their status in the state. Some issues are global or national in scale, while others may be regional, statewide, or local. Identifying issues affecting Delaware’s SGCN and habitats is an important
Forest and Upland Habitats and Condition Delaware contains approximately 1.25 million land acres, of which approximately 359,000 are forested. The definition of forest used to determine forest acreage includes traditional, non-urban areas with forest cover. Forest Extent Delaware, once mostly forested, has lost over half of its forests since
Species – Habitat Associations Background The concept of habitat in ecology includes the geographic, biotic, and abiotic factors that determine the occurrence of a species at a given place and time. The habitat of a species can be defined by the relative presence or absence on the landscape of
Disturbance and Diversity Patterns of natural disturbance are vital in understanding the distribution of species and habitats on the landscape. Numerous birds, invertebrates, and other species depend on habitats shaped and maintained by disturbance, including early successional habitats, floodplains, coastal systems, and fire-maintained systems. These periodic disturbances create habitat heterogeneity, promote species
EPA Ecoregions Woods et al. (1999) described the USEPA Ecoregions of the Mid-Atlantic. Delaware contains parts of three Level III EPA Ecoregions: the Northern Piedmont (64), the Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain (63), and the Southeastern Plains (65). Level III EcoregionLevel IV Ecoregion Approximate Acreage Northern Piedmont Piedmont Uplands (64c) 60,617Southeastern Plains Chesapeake Rolling Coastal
Delaware’s land area drains to three major watersheds, and contains four main drainage basins: the Piedmont, Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay, and Inland Bays/Atlantic Ocean basins. Managing Nature by the Basin: Delaware’s Big-Picture Approach Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has been implementing a drainage basin approach to assess,
U.S. Northeast Region Delaware’s Outsized Role in Regional Conservation Delaware falls within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Region, which encompasses 13 states from Maine to Virginia. The Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (NEAFWA), the professional association that serves as the collective voice of the Northeast
Delaware’s Ecological Setting Delaware is the second smallest of the United States with a land area of 1,982 mi², or just over 1.25 million acres. The state consists of three counties, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. About 95% of the state lies within the Atlantic Coastal Plain province, and about 5% (northern
Mammal Diversity of Delaware Swimming mink. Photo: USFWS Delaware is home to a wide variety of mammals. DFW serves as an important source of information about mammal populations hunted in the state. Species managed by the agency and hunted or trapped,
As part of the federal requirement to address conservation of the broad array of wildlife in Delaware, 688 species and subspecies were identified as SGCN during the 2015 Wildlife Action Plan Revision. Beginning in April of 2023, the criteria and SGCN list were reevaluated, resulting in a list of 1019 species, subspecies, and varieties of
Introduction This section addresses Elements 6, 7 and 8, discussing the process of developing, reviewing and revising the DEWAP, outreach and coordination with partners, stakeholders, and the general public both during the 2025 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan (DEWAP) revision process and the approach to be taken over the next 10-year implementation period.
Introduction Monitoring Delaware’s species of greatest conservation need (SGCN), their habitats, and the effectiveness of the conservation actions identified in the Delaware Wildlife Action Plan will provide information for Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and its partners to measure success of the
A Ten-Year Strategy for Wildlife and Habitat Conservation This Delaware Wildlife Action Plan (DEWAP) presents a 10-year strategy for keeping today’s wildlife from becoming tomorrow’s memory. It is comprehensive in terms of the species, habitats, issues, and actions it addresses, in order to fulfill a mandate making Delaware eligible for federal funding
Waterbird Diversity of Delaware The North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, a project of the Waterbird Conservation for the Americas Initiative (www.waterbirdconservation.org), assessed the abundance and distribution of 210 waterbird species in North America and found that one-third of colonial nesting waterbirds are at risk of serious population declines. Eleven pelagic seabirds are
Avian Diversity of Delaware Norther Bobwhite quail in flowers.Photo: Steve Maslowski / USFWS Species Richness The Delaware State List of Bird Species includes 429 species that have been accepted by the Delaware Bird Records Committee (DBRC) as of 2024. This official state list includes accidental and
Introduction The Delaware Wildlife Action Plan (DEWAP) provides information on the distribution and abundance of species, including those with low or declining populations, that exemplify the diversity and health of Delaware’s fish and wildlife. The DEWAP Revision process began with a review of current national, regional, and statewide information available for the
DRAFTDelaware’s Wildlife Action Plan charts a path toward a thriving future for fish, wildlife, and the habitats they depend on. Rooted in science and shaped by collaboration, it focuses conservation where it matters most to protect the natural legacy we share. The following 2025-2035 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan is currently a draft,
