DNREC begins forested wetland restoration projects
at four state wildlife areas 

KENT COUNTY (Oct. 26, 2011) – The Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife in cooperation with Kent Conservation District started construction last week on five forested wetland restoration projects on four state wildlife areas in Kent County. These projects include two areas at Blackiston Wildlife Area near Kenton, and one each at the Little Creek Wildlife Area east of Dover, the Fortney-Urban Tracts between Hartly and Marydel, and the Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area near Viola.

Funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service State Wildlife Grant Program and the Delmarva Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the projects will restore previously drained and degraded forested wetlands to functional forested wetlands with the placement of water control structures in drainage ditches. Kent Conservation District staff members engineered the projects and are installing water control structures for the five projects, which encompass a total of about eight acres.

Total cost for the five projects is $15,500 – $11,500 from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $1,390 from the Delmarva Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation paired with $2,610 in matching funds from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife.

These restored wetlands will provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, improved water quality in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, and reduce potential flooding in downstream areas. 

Vol. 41, No. 416