Help DNREC make Earth Day every day and beautify your state! This event takes place the day after Earth Day, from 9 to 11am on Saturday, April 23rd, for environmentally minded weekend warriors. The St. Jones Reserve in Dover is in need of volunteers to help plant native tree seedlings (loblolly pine, tulip poplars and red and silver maples) in pots. The seedlings will then cared for in a greenhouse by Reserve staff until ready to be transplanted into the ground this fall for a restoration project.
“On National Estuaries Day (Sept. 24), these seedlings will be planted at the Blackbird Creek Reserve, north of Smyrna,” said Maggie Pletta, education coordinator with the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR), which includes the St. Jones and Blackbird Creek Reserves. “By putting the seedlings in pots now and then planting them as more mature seedlings in the future, we’re promoting volunteer participation in habitat stewardship by preserving an ecologically-valuable area along the Delaware Bayshore.”
Garden trowels will be provided for the volunteers, but you’ll need to bring your own gloves. Potting will take place outside, so check the weather forecast and dress appropriately (you will get dirty!).
Volunteers must be at least 13 years old; anyone volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Preregistration is required. This is so they can make sure they have adequate materials for everyone. You can register by contacting Maggie Pletta at 302-739-6377 or by email Margaret.Pletta@state.de.us.
The St. Jones Reserve is located at 818 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, DE 19901. You can learn more about their volunteer opportunities here.
This project is part of DNREC’s Bayshore Initiative, a landscape approach to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat, increase volunteer participation in habitat stewardship projects, enhance low-impact outdoor recreation and ecotourism opportunities, and promote associated environmentally compatible economic development.