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 Pages Tagged With: "outdoor delaware"

Outdoor Adventures in Delaware: Explore Some of the First State’s Top Trails

From Laurel to Wilmington, Delaware has an array of natural spots, including parks, nature reserves and wildlife areas. And between these sites, there are more than a handful of notable trails, including wilderness treks and historic strolls. While few of them can really pose the challenge that experienced hikers used to genuine mountains may prefer, they’re certainly worth checking out if you like the outdoors (and who doesn’t?).


Delaware’s Natural Beauty Shines in Fall

Perhaps few natural sights are more beautiful than the changing leaves in autumn. In Delaware, there are myriad locations to see the warm reds, oranges and yellows of oaks, beeches, maples, poplars and more, including numerous state parks and wildlife areas managed by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.


Delaware’s Biggest Trees are a Cut Above the Rest

Delaware is home to more than 100 different tree species, from the bald cypress to the American holly to the yellow poplar. Trees have always played a significant role in human society and culture, and the First State is no exception in that regard. In this piece, Outdoor Delaware takes you inside Delaware’s forests. By the way — do you know what our state tree is?


From Wilmington to Fenwick, Volunteers Clean Up Trash Along Delaware’s Coast

For more than 30 years, Delaware’s Coastal Cleanup has removed literal tons of garbage from our state’s coastal areas. In the 2024 event, held after the prior year saw a cancellation due to bad weather, more than 1,000 people gave their time to help pick up litter (including a couch and a mannequin head) at almost 50 sites up and down eastern Delaware.


Unseen Intruders: Delaware’s Battle Against Invasive Species Threatening Native Wildlife

Invasive species threaten to outcompete native species, could carry disease and generally risk disrupting the fragile ecosystem. In this piece from Outdoor Delaware, experts offer an overview of what qualifies as an invasive species, how these plants and animals can harm the environment and what Delawareans should know about them.


Inside the DNREC Environmental Laboratory Responsible for Testing for Forever Chemicals and Other Contaminants

When the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control needs to test water samples for contaminants, it turns to its Environmental Laboratory, which has been helping protect the state’s natural resources for 75 years — and will, before long, move into a new home. In this piece, Outdoor Delaware takes you into the lab to elucidate its important duties.


Battling a Summer Menace: Inside Delaware’s Relentless Mosquito Control Efforts

You don’t need to know much about mosquitoes to appreciate efforts to prevent the insects from spreading and sucking blood. But how exactly does the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control go about controlling the mosquito population? Learn all about mosquito control in this article from Outdoor Delaware.


How Delaware is Preparing for the Return of Black Bears

Prior to 2016, black bears had not been spotted in Delaware in more than a century. Over the past eight years, however, four different juvenile male bears have ventured into Delaware, capturing the public imagination. Is this a trend residents can expect to continue?


Navigating Delaware’s Drought History: Insights into Water Management Challenges and Solutions

Delaware’s last official drought emergency came in 2002. That was also the worst drought here since well before Delaware became a state. Learn more about drought in this article from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.


Poetry Contest Winners Share Inspirations

Meet the winners of DNREC’s Haiku Poetry Contest, which celebrates June’s Ocean Month.


Dolphins, Horseshoe Crabs and Piping Plovers, Oh My! Discover Delaware’s Diverse Coastal Wildlife This Summer

Delaware’s beaches are home to a dizzying array of wildlife that might surprise even many Delawareans, from fish to birds to crabs to mammals and more. This summer, visitors to the state’s beaches will have a chance to observe many critters in their natural habitats.


Bald Eagles Soar in Delaware as Survey Reveals Population Growth

The bald eagle population plummeted greatly in the middle of the 20th century but has since rebounded. In 2023, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control conducted a count of eagles’ nests in the First State.


Generation Green: Delaware’s Youth Lead the Charge in Environmental Action

Everybody is affected by the state of our environment. Today, young people are often leading the charge in environmental action, getting involved in the annual school Envirothon competition, tackling individual projects aimed at benefiting nature and pursuing environmental-based careers.


Meet the Animal Moms of the First State

This Mother’s Day, Outdoor Delaware is highlighting some of the state’s most fascinating animal parents, from the pouch-packing Virginia opossum to the solo-singing spring peeper.


New Tool Helps Delawareans Manage Flood Risk Amid Rising Climate Threats

Flooding is already a problem in Delaware, the lowest-lying state, and it is expected to worsen over time due to climate change. That’s why the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has launched a new flood planning tool, known as I-ADAPT, or the Individual Adaptation and Decision Planning Tool.


Hundreds of Coastal Guardians Unite to Strengthen Dunes Along Delaware Beaches

Every March for more than three decades, hundreds of volunteers have gathered at beaches along the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean to plant Cape American beach grass.


Ambitious DNREC Initiative Aims to Revitalize the Christina and Brandywine Rivers

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is working alongside partners to clean up the Christina and Brandywine rivers in an ambitious initiative known as CBR4.


Winter Survival Strategies: A Closer Look at Hibernation in Delaware’s Animal Kingdom

Delaware doesn’t have many “true” hibernators, but it does have its share of critters that use long naps as a winter survival strategy.


Navigating the Depths: Inside the Delaware Bay’s Longest-Running Water Quality Monitoring Program

The Delaware Estuary Water Quality Monitoring Program, informally known as the boat run, is one of the longest-running water quality monitoring programs in the world.


How to Prevent Backyard Mosquitos

zzzzz … slap. Sound familiar? The whine of buzzing mosquitoes followed by swats is a tell-tale sign of summer in Delaware. There’s plenty you can do in your backyard to reduce populations of these pests. Our Mosquito Control Section has tips to share, along with the mosquitos to watch out for.


Outdoor Delaware: Fun and Education

Get smarter about our environment and enjoy the journey. Learn what makes our natural world tick and how we can help conserve and protect it.


Waste Not Want Not: What Really Happens to Our Recyclables

Delaware’s Materials Recycling Facility is a 64-thousand-square-foot repurposing facility with state-of-the-art sorting equipment.


Outdoor Delaware: Boating, Fishing and Hunting

Want to go cruisin’, drop a line or test your aim? Here’s where you’ll find out about seasons, safety, licenses and much more.


Outdoor Delaware: People

Who’s behind the discoveries we make? What’s it like to be a hunter? How do our K9 officers help our Natural Resource Police? Get these answers and more.


Disc Golf: No Funny Pants Required

Any disc golf enthusiast will tell you it’s a great game. No clubs are required, you don’t need a caddie or an electric cart, you can play alone or with a group, and you don’t have to wear funny pants.


Go Herpin’ — Join the Effort to Catalogue Delaware’s Reptiles and Amphibians

You can help us create the first-ever Delaware Amphibian and Reptile Atlas by submitting photos and locations of Delaware’s reptiles and amphibians, or as we call them, “herps.”


Outdoor Delaware: Adventure

Outdoors or indoors, there are plenty of exciting activities to experience and places to see in Delaware. Discover what’s out there!


Outdoor Delaware: Health and Science

What are the latest discoveries our scientists are making? How are we keeping our air and water cleaner? What’s White-nose syndrome? Learn more.


Outdoor Delaware: Animals

Hey animal lovers! Find out all about Delaware’s wildlife, from who’s new at the Brandywine Zoo to the other creatures that crawl, swim, walk and fly.


Outdoor Delaware: Nature

Delaware is full of beauty and wonder. From our insects and animals, to our wild lands and beaches, learn why our natural world is important to all of us.


Outdoor Delaware: Conservation

Want to find out how we can help the environment? From habitat and wildlife protection to recycling, learn how we can conserve our natural resources.


Our Own Toliara

Toliara is a radiated tortoise who lives at the Brandywine Zoo. Radiated tortoises are reptiles and considered among the most beautiful in the world. His ancestors emerged on land shortly after dinosaurs became extinct some 65 million years ago.


From Phragmites Part-Timer to a Wildlife Management Career, Thanks Delaware!

Former Division of Fish and Wildlife Regional Manager Bill Jones reflects on 34 years in state service and his progress from a part-time job to a career in wildlife management.


What About Kestrels? The Brandywine Zoo is Finding Out

The American kestrel is a pint-sized yet ferocious aerial predator notorious for taking out tree swallows or bluebirds in mid-air. About the size of a mourning dove, this raptor is the smallest and most colorful falcon in North America.


Jellyfish to Watch Out For

Are you planning to go for a swim? If so, you may encounter jellyfish because they love warm water. And there are several species of jellies you should keep a watchful eye on as you venture out for a dip.


Wildlife Enthusiasts – Check Out Improved Access to the Bayshore!

Enjoy birding, boating, fishing, hiking, hunting, taking photographs or just watching wildlife in their natural habitats when you visit the Delaware Bayshore. It doesn’t take much effort to find your favorite spot to enjoy some time outdoors.


Time Travelers Dig the John Bell House

The Delaware State Parks Time Traveler program offers a hands-on experience for volunteers to get involved in cultural heritage work at our state parks. And you can literally get your hands dirty.


Everything Including the Kitchen “Sink” — Delaware’s Artificial Reefs

Over 20 years, Delaware has recycled more than two million tons of rock, 100,000 tons of concrete, 86 tanks and armored personnel carriers, 1,329 retired subway cars and 27 retired vessels to create new, artificial reefs.


Electric Vehicles – On the Move in Delaware

Our relationship with electric automobiles has run hot and cold over the last 100 years, with gas-powered vehicles always winning in the end. Now people are looking for cleaner alternatives as concerns for the environment increase.





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