NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

Feb. 24, 2010
Vol. 40, No. 47

Contact: Rebecca Rothweiler, Division of Water Resources, 302-739-9939; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

New video encourages protection efforts for Delaware’s vital wetlands

A new 60-second video – “Purify, Provide and Protect” – highlights Delaware’s wetlands and the irreplaceable services they provide for our health and well-being. The video, a partnership of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Nature Society, was developed to educate and engage Delawareans in efforts to protect the health and productivity of one of Delaware’s most critically important resources.

Over the centuries, Delaware has lost nearly 54 percent of our original wetlands, primarily through development and agricultural activities. Efforts are underway to slow wetland loss, restore destroyed or degraded wetlands, preserve wetland functions, and bolster support for wetland protection.

 “Wetlands cover thousands of acres of Delaware – about 36 percent of the state’s area – and need our stewardship,” said Rebecca Rothweiler, DNREC’s wetlands outreach specialist. “The new video is designed to raise awareness and encourage Delawareans to learn more, get involved and join efforts to protect the state’s wetlands.”

The Delaware wetland logo, “Purify, Provide and Protect,” serves as the central message of the video by highlighting the multitude of benefits and services that wetlands provide. Wetlands help purify and replenish groundwater, filtering pollutants and improving water quality; provide habitat, as breeding grounds, nesting sites and other critical habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife; and protect lives and property from the impacts of floods and storms.

The video directs citizens to two online resources, DNREC’s new Delaware Wetlands webpage, www.dnrec.delaware.gov/admin/Delawarewetlands, and the Delaware Nature Society website, www.delawarenaturesociety.org. The Delaware Wetlands webpage includes the latest information on wetland health, research, wetland loss studies, regulations, and programs and activities available for volunteers, landowners and students. The Delaware Nature Society site focuses on workshops and educational information that encourage public support and participation in wetland protection.

The video was filmed at two of Delaware’s most scenic wetland areas – the Russell W. Peterson Wildlife Refuge, a unique restored wetland on the Christina River in Wilmington that includes an environmental education center that serves an urban population and the Bombay Hook Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna, a 13,000-acre tidal wetland that provides critical habitat for fish, wildlife and the hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, and other birds that visit the refuge on their yearly migrations.

“The Delaware Nature Society is excited to work with DNREC to bring a new awareness and understanding to the critical condition of Delaware’s wetlands,” said Brenna Goggin, environmental advocate for the Delaware Nature Society who recently helped produce a series of public workshops about freshwater wetlands. “Educational efforts such as the new video and workshops are vital for increasing the public’s knowledge and appreciation of wetlands.”

The “Purify, Protect, and Provide” video was funded through a grant, Improving Delaware’s Wetland Resources through Monitoring and Assessment, Education and Restoration, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  To view the video and learn more, visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/admin/Delawarewetlands.