DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation is working with park visitors and residents of coastal Sussex County to plan for potential recreational impacts of a proposal to bring power lines from an offshore wind project ashore at 3Rs Beach in Delaware Seashore State Park.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invites public comment on a proposed Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan for Delaware. The department will take comments on the proposed plan through Nov. 15, 2023.
Public Comment Draft: Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan
The Parks and Recreation Council advises the director of the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation on matters related to the planning, acquisition, development, management, conservation and programming of lands and services under the jurisdiction of the division. The council is established in State Law at 29 Del. C. § 8009.
The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation is preparing to update Delaware’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. The plan, known as the SCORP, tracks the state’s recreation inventory, identifies needs for infrastructure and programs and guides public and private planning and investment to meet those needs. Public outdoor
DNREC publishes the Delaware Reef Guide to provide information about the state’s artificial reef sites. The Guide is available for download in PDF format. A limited number of printed copies are available as well. Use the request form below to request a copy by mail. Please include your
The DNREC Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Trails Program (ORPT), formerly known as the Delaware Land and Water Conservation Trust Fund (DTF), is a matching grant program assisting with public park land acquisition and outdoor recreation facility development in Delaware.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has adopted the White Clay Creek Master Plan. The plan presents a vision and framework for White Clay Creek State Park for the next 10 years.
The White Clay Creek State Park Trail Plan, adopted in 2011 after extensive public outreach, addressed a future segment of the Tri-Valley Trail. Combined with other trails, the proposed Tri-Valley Trail is part of an 18-mile Greater Newark regional trail network. The Division of Parks and Recreation proposes to fill the trail system gap
DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation is in the process of developing a plan to provide a vision and a framework for the future trail system of Killens Pond State Park.
The Division of Parks and Recreation proposes to build a small trailhead and 2.75 miles of trail to create public access to the Fork Branch Nature Preserve, in Dover.
DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation is in the process of updating the Trail Plan for Cape Henlopen State Park. The purpose of the Trail Plan is to provide a vision and a framework for the future trail system in the park. [panel type=”success” heading=”Contact
DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation has updated the Brandywine Creek State Park Trail Plan. The purpose of the trail plan is to provide a vision and a framework for the future trail system of Brandywine Creek State Park. Final Trail Plan
DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation is in the process of updating the Auburn Valley Master Plan, which guides development of Auburn Valley State Park. About the Park Nestled along the Red Clay Creek and home to the world’s largest operating collection of Stanley Steamer cars, Auburn
A group of local community leaders and area residents interested in expanding bicycle and pedestrian opportunities developed the Assawoman Canal Trail Concept Plan. This work led to the 2015 opening of a 1.1-mile trail segment between Route 26 and Elliott Avenue along the west bank of the canal in Ocean View.
The Planning, Preservation and Development Section administers land acquisition and protection programs, including the Open Space Program, the Office of Nature Preserves and the Cultural Resource Unit. The Division of Parks and Recreation has released a set of informational posters and a survey of public opinion (open through March
Any disc golf enthusiast will tell you it’s a great game. No clubs are required, you don’t need a caddie or an electric cart, you can play alone or with a group, and you don’t have to wear funny pants.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing to use an emergency rule under the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region to increase the recreational bag limit for Atlantic king mackerel in federal waters.
DNREC’s freshwater trout program is a self-supporting put-and-take fishery. Rainbow, brown and/or brook trout are stocked in selected streams in New Castle County and in selected ponds in Kent and Sussex counties. Basic Requirements No minimum size. Four fish per day in fly-fishing
The Northern Snakehead (Channa argus), a fish native to China and Russia, has become a problem invasive species in several states, including Delaware. Anyone who catches a snakehead in Delaware is encouraged to kill it and notify the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Northern
Delaware has 14 permitted artificial reef sites in Delaware Bay and along the Atlantic Coast. Cleaned and stable construction materials, boats, and subway cars create new habitat. They support expanded recreational fishing and diving.
Delaware, along with other states in the Mid-Atlantic Region, has been invaded by non-native aquatic species that pose a threat to native species, to ecological processes, and to the economy. An invasive species is a non-native species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental
Biologists from the Division of Fish and Wildlife keep track of the state’s fish populations. They work on Delaware’s rivers, ponds, estuaries, the Delaware Bay, and coastal waters and study how different species are faring. What Fisheries Biologists Do Fisheries Biologist John Clark captured and tagged this
Many small “farm” ponds in Delaware provide important recreational opportunities. Children may catch their first bluegill from such a pond. Ponds provide aesthetic beauty, irrigation, fire safety in rural areas, and wildlife habitat.
Gamefish are found in either tidal or non-tidal freshwater in Delaware. Gamefish taken from Delaware waters cannot legally be sold, traded or bartered unless authorized by permit. The following restrictions apply to fishing for gamefish and in general for fishing in all non-tidal waters. For more information, or to report a violation, call 1-800-523-3336
Largemouth Bass fishing tournaments are popular in Delaware’s public ponds and tidal rivers. Most events are held between April and November. Data collected during the tournaments is useful to biologists that manage bass populations. Get a Tournament Permit
The Division of Fish and Wildlife gets many questions about about aquatic plant problems in small ponds. White-waterlily (Nymphaea odorata) Aquatic plants provide habitat for fish and small pond creatures. According to biologists, plant cover between 20 and 40 percent is ideal for
The DNREC Fisheries Section works to enhance and protect Delaware’s fish and aquatic resources in support of recreational and commercial fishing. It provides first-class fishing and boating access to Delaware’s many waterways. And it conducts fisheries research, resource monitoring, and collection of biological information on marine fisheries. Recreational Fishing
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control offers information and programs for hunters, anglers, bird-watchers, campers, bikers, hikers, swimmers and people who like to lie on their backs in the grass and gaze up at the clouds. Choose Your State Park Alapocas Run State Park
