Listening Sessions Set Oct. 28 and 29 to Discuss Next 10 Years of State’s Conservation Strategy

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will hold two listening sessions this month to garner public input as the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife continues the revision process of updating the Delaware Wildlife Action Plan. The plan is a 10-year conservation strategy developed in partnership with numerous stakeholders, including federal, state and local government agencies, non-profit organizations, Delaware academic institutions and the public.

The first DNREC listening session is in-person Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m. at the Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Dr., Dover, Del., with an option of attending the session virtually. The second session will be held Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. and will be virtual only. For more details, including the weblink and phone-in number for both sessions, see the DNREC Meeting Calendar.

DNREC’s revising of the 2025 Wildlife Action Plan is required for Delaware to continue receiving U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service State Wildlife Grant Program funding critical to conservation management and stewardship of natural resources in the state. The plan assesses Delaware’s wildlife and habitats, identifies the challenges they face, and outlines actions needed for conserving them. The plan will guide conservation efforts for the state’s wildlife and their habitats through 2035.

Public input has been encouraged throughout the revision process for the plan. At the heart of the update is DNREC’s effort to make the contents of the plan more accessible and web-enabled – with a searchable database and interactive digital maps of important habitats. At the upcoming listening sessions, the 2025 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan development team will explain details of the plan, how to navigate new online resources for accessing it, and answer questions about the plan and how it has changed since the state’s last wildlife action plan in 2015.

“This plan takes all of the tremendous effort that went into the 2015 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan, builds on our conservation successes and charts a path forward to guide fish and wildlife conservation in Delaware for the next decade,” said Joe Rogerson, DNREC Wildlife Section Administrator. “Most importantly, scientists, wildlife biologists, hunters, anglers, conservationists and all other stakeholders have an opportunity to work together to implement conservation actions and strive to address or alleviate threats that face Delaware’s valuable wildlife resources in the years ahead.”

Working with stakeholders, DNREC has identified and prioritized the fish, wildlife and associated habitats most in need of conservation throughout the state. In addition to addressing the needs of rare and uncommon species, this process also identifies actions to keep common species commonplace in the state by recommending conservation efforts throughout Delaware that can be undertaken over the next decade by public and private partners.

The draft plan is now available online for review and comment – which can be submitted via feedback form at the de.gov/dewap webpage. Comments can also be emailed to DEWAP2025@delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov 

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