NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
Oct. 22, 2008
Vol. 38, No. 487
For more information contact Lynne Staub, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Private Lands Assistance Program, 302-735-3600; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
Acorn Collection Day a Success
120 Volunteers Collect Acorns to Help Restore Delaware Habitat
Volunteers from across Delaware joined with scientists from DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Landowner Incentive Program to collect acorns that will be used to help private landowners enhance or establish wildlife habitat. More than 120 volunteers took part in the 4th Annual Acorn Collection Day Oct. 18, held at three locations – Rockford Park in Wilmington, Smyrna Rest Area and Holts Landing State Park near Ocean View.
“We had a wonderful turn-out of volunteers, and we appreciated everyone who came to the sites to collect acorns,” said Lynne Staub, Division of Fish and Wildlife coordinator for the event. “It was a very successful day with more than 140 pounds collected. We hope that when we hold the event again next year, our acorn harvest will be even better.”
Volunteers collected acorns from areas at each site where seedlings would not generally be able to grow, including mowed areas along trail edges, open spaces and roadsides. The Division of Fish and Wildlife will work with partners to plant the acorns and will transplant established seedings for restoration projects on private lands.
Much of Delaware’s wildlife habitat is isolated, degraded and unprotected as more land is converted to urban, commercial and industrial uses. With more than 80 percent of the available or restorable wildlife habitat on private lands, the Delaware Landowner Incentive Program was developed to help landowners restore and enhance wildlife habitat on their properties.
Acorn Collection Day was made possible by volunteer support and by assistance from DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation – Rockford Park and Holts Landing State Park – and DelDOT – Smyrna Rest Area – for the collection sites.
For more information on the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Landowner Incentive Program, visit www.dnrec.state.de.us/dplap or contact Lynne Staub, (302) 735-3600 or Lynne.Staub@state.de.us
