NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL Sept. 24, 2008
Vol. 38, No. 433
For more information contact Jennifer Holmes, Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, 302-739-3436 or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902. Photos available by calling Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
Delaware Students “Make a Splash” During National Estuaries Day Celebration
DOVER, Del. – After a day filled with learning and fun, more than 450 seventh grade students and teachers from Red Clay and Milford school districts are now ready to be stewards of Delaware’s water resources. They attended Delaware’s “Make a Splash” festival on Sept. 24 at the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve and John Dickinson Plantation near Dover, held this year during the National Estuaries Day Celebration.
“Delawareans live in the Delaware or Chesapeake Bay estuary watershed,” said Jennifer Holmes, “Make a Splash” coordinator and educator with DNREC’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation. “The festival was designed to teach students about our water resources and the importance of a healthy estuary for the numerous species of plants and animals that share these exceptional resources.”
Students visited stations that included interactive activities on various water-related topics – estuaries, watersheds, groundwater, salinity, horseshoe crabs, mosquito control, stormwater runoff, pollution and historical water use. Unlike traditional “look and leave” field trips, students were actively engaged in learning about the diversity of estuary life and the impacts to our water resources.
At the Enviroscape watershed model, New Castle County Conservation District educator, Rick Mickowski, demonstrated the affects of non-point source pollution, such as polluted runoff from homes and farms, and ways to reduce its impacts to our streams and lakes.
Rachel Dobie, a student from Milford Middle School, was engaged in the Enviroscape activity. “We learned that a lot of the everyday things we do can affect how pollution gets in our waters. We should all be more careful and clean up so we don’t create pollution,” said Dobie.
The Delaware “Make a Splash” Festival has been educating students and encouraging actions to help protect water resources for almost ten years. The planning committee includes representatives from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Delaware Conservation Districts, Delaware Project WET, and the John Dickinson Plantation.
To explore the many educational opportunities and workshops offered at DNREC’s Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, contact Jennifer Holmes at 302-739-3436 or visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov and click on “Division of Soil and Water Conservation.
