Nearly 30 percent of Delaware is covered in wetlands, offering residents and visitors alike the opportunity to explore and enjoy everything wetlands have to offer.

Whether it’s visiting one of the nature centers, or taking a hike through a park, wetlands are easily accessible across the state. So grab your friends and family and check out Delaware’s wetlands today!

State Managed Areas

State Wildlife Areas — Visit public lands where you can observe wetland habitats, plants, and wildlife. Get the family involved while you try bird watching, nature exploration and hunting or fishing! Finds maps of Delaware’s state wildlife areas and links to other public lands.

Delaware State Parks — Experience our history, our beaches, our freshwater ponds and our scenic views. Find all the information you need to plan a day hike through a wetland habitat, a weekend get-a-way to our beaches, or rent a canoe to explore our waterways! Planning a hike? Don’t forget to print your State Forest Map!

DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center — Learn about horseshoe crabs and enjoy one of the best viewing areas for spawning!

DNREC’s Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve — Get involved! Come out and volunteer with the Reserve. Do you like gardening? Help out with their gardening projects! Enjoy birdwatching? Be a volunteer Bluebird Box Monitor! The Reserve also offers a variety of free public programs ranging from boat and canoe trips to workshops, seminars, and habitat hikes to foster a personal connection with our coastal and estuarine areas leading to resource conservation.

Federally Managed Areas

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge — Get out and visit one of the best existing wetland habitat areas along the entire Atlantic coast! Be sure to bring your binoculars and camera as this refuge is home to almost 300 different species of migratory birds. Keep an eye out for nesting bald eagles and migrating peregrine falcons!

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge — Visit one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region! The refuge, located along the coast of Delaware, is mostly marsh, but also includes freshwater impoundments and upland habitats that are managed for other wildlife.

Other Opportunities

DuPont Environmental Education Center at the Russell Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge — Learn all about Delaware’s native wildlife and plants with exciting indoor and outdoor activities!

EcoDelaware — Connects residents and travelers with outdoor places and activities in the First State. In this way, we hope to increase awareness, appreciation and, ultimately, environmental stewardship for the Delaware Estuary and similar river-to-sea watersheds.

Volunteer — Volunteer with DNREC or with any of the conservation organizations across the state that are always on the lookout for help from people just like you. It’s fun and it helps to ensure future generations have natural areas to explore in Delaware.

Related Topics:  education, explore, watershed, wetlands