DELAWARE STATE PARKS 2019 Annual Report Blank Page Delaware State Parks 2019 Annual Report Voted America’s Best Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of Parks & Recreation Blank Page TABLE OF CONTENTS What Who Things How We Info By We Are We Are We Do Pay For It Park 5 Our Parks and 7 Our People Put 18 Preserving, 24 Funding the 35 Alapocas Run Preserves Us on Top in Supporting, Parks FY19 Teaching 37 Auburn Valley More Than 26 Investments in Parks 12 Volunteers 19 Programming Our Parks 39 Bellevue and by the Fox Point 6 Accessible to 14 Friends of Numbers 29 Small All Delaware State Businesses 42 Brandywine Parks 20 Protect and Creek Serve 30 Partnerships 16 Advisory 44 Cape Henlopen Councils 22 We Provided 32 Management Grants Challenges 47 Delaware Seashore and Indian River Marina 50 Fenwick Island and Holts Landing 52 First State Heritage Park 54 Fort Delaware, Fort DuPont, and Port Penn Interpretive Center 56 Killens Pond 58 Lums Pond 60 Trap Pond 62 White Clay Creek 65 Wilmington State Parks and Brandywine Zoo Brandywine Creek State Park 15 2004 YEARS TIMELINE Parts of M Night Shyamalan’s movie “The Village” are filmed at the Flint Woods ofBrandywine AGO ANNIVERSARIES Creek State Park. Brandywine Creek State Park Brandywine Creek State 1979 Alapocas Run State Park Park begins to offer the Division’s first Auburn Valley State Park Bellevue State Park interpretive programs 40 Fox Point State Park Wilmington State Parks/ YEARS White Clay Creek State Park Brandywine Zoo AGO Fort Delaware State Park Fort Delaware 1954 Fort DuPont State Park opens for three consecutive Lums Pond State Park 65 Delaware weekends as a test of public interest and YEARS State Parks draws 4,500 visitors. AGO 1974 The Youth Conservation Corps program is established in Delaware 55 45 Delaware State Parks YEARS 1964 YEARS Leah Rodel, tireless advocate for AGO AGO parks and open space in Delaware for more than 40 years, is appointed First State Heritage Park to the State Park Commission. Delaware General Assembly passes its first 1949 Killens Pond appropriation for parks - $10,000 to correct State Park erosion along the beaches. 1994 70 Ice from the “Storm YEARS of ’94” destroys thousands of trees AGO 25 and temporarily YEARS closes Killens Pond Cape Henlopen and Trap Pond State Park AGO state parks. The U.S. Army transferred 1964 564 acres of surplus land to Trap Pond State Park the state, establishing Cape 55 1939 Henlopen State Park. The Delaware Park YEARS Commission enters into an agreement with the Federal Delaware Seashore State Park AGO 80 government to operate, but Holts Landing State Park YEARS not own, Trap Pond as a park. Trap Pond State Park The first caretaker is hired by Fenwick Island State Park AGO the Federal government for the park. DELAWARE STATE PARK MANAGES 8 OF TRIP ADVISORS TOP 25 ATTRACTIONS • Cape Henlopen State Park #7 • Junction & Breakwater Trail #17 • Trap Pond State Park #8 • White Clay Creek State Park #18 • Gordons Pond #9 • Fenwick Island State Park #21 • Delaware Seashore State Park #15 • Indian River Inlet Bridge #23 DELAWARE STATE PARKS WHAT WE ARE by the The mission of DNREC's Division of Parks & Recreation is to Numbers: provide Delaware’s residents and visitors with safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities and open spaces, responsible stewardship of the lands and the cultural and natural resources that we have been entrusted to protect and manage, and resource-based 6 interpretive and educational services. million+ visitors 17 OUR PARKS AND PRESERVES Parks The Division of Parks & Recreation operates and maintains 17 state parks and related preserves and greenways throughout Delaware. STATE PARKS: PRESERVES: Alapocas Run Fort Delaware Angola Neck Doe Bridge 26,500 Auburn Valley Fort DuPont Auburn Heights Flint Woods Acres Bellevue Fox Point Barnes Woods Fork Branch Brandywine Creek Holts Landing Beach Plum Island James Branch Cape Henlopen Killens Pond Bellevue Woods Lums Pond Woods Delaware Seashore Lums Pond Brandywine Creek Valley Murderkill River Fenwick Island Trap Pond Cape Henlopen Nanticoke River First State Heritage Park White Clay Creek Cedar Creek Pea Patch Island 622 Wilmington State Parks Red Clay Creek Valley Rehoboth Bay Marshes Buildings Thompson Island on Park Land White Clay Creek Valley MORE THAN PARKS We also: • Administer Delaware’s land protection programs 158 • Provide educational and interpretive programs on natural and cultural resources • Acquire and develop recreational lands and facilities Miles of • Provide for the protection of natural areas Trails • Oversee and plan for statewide recreational needs What We Are 5 ACCESSIBLE TO ALL Delaware State Parks provide recreation, nature, environmental and educational opportunities to all Delawareans. It is important that all people have the ability to enjoy our 17 parks, zoo and more than 26,000 acres of parklands. Each year, we update and improve our parks with this all-access vision in mind. In 2019, we added several amenities that will provide more access for individuals of all abilities. Bellevue State Park • Built a new accessible bathroom facility and trail at the Hunter Barn for trail users, day campers, and special event rentals. Brandywine Zoo • A new accessible goat encounter area, an interactive bee exhibit and a condor viewing area was added. Cape Henlopen State Park • The Henlopen Drive trail over the former railroad was completed to allow all-accessible use and separate trail users from vehicular traffic. Lums Pond State Park • The Division spent $103,000 on renovations to its Area I bathrooms, making them accessible to all individuals. • A new accessible pavilion was added in Area I. • A 14-passenger minibus with a wheelchair lift and multiple seats that can be converted to transport passengers with wheelchairs was purchased. The minibus is used to transport summer campers around the park and local field trips, and can be used for events. The bus can also be used by other Delaware State Parks as needed. Holts Landings State Park • The boardwalk for the Sea Hawk trail was completed to improve a fully accessible view and trail experience along the bay. • The park also opened a new accessible playground. White Clay Creek State Park • Phase II of the Tri-Valley Trail was completed, rounding out the accessible hub of White Clay Creek. This accessible trail joins hay wagon rides, primitive group camping and accessible docks for fishing and wildlife viewing. • Accessible docks for anglers of all abilities were added at Smith Mill Pond. • The park relocated the primitive group camping area and installed a fire ring, picnic table and accessible trail for all abilities to enjoy and experience. 6 Delaware State Parks Annual Report 2019 OUR PEOPLE PUT US ON TOP IN FY19 A wide variety of knowledge and skills is required to keep Delaware WHO State Parks running. Our full-time staff includes: WE ARE 53 electrical, mechanical, and maintenance staff 24 park rangers Park Rangers combine duties in park superintendents and assistant superintendents 22 law enforcement and protection of 21 managers and administrators Delaware’s natural resources and 15 administrative specialists environment. 24 full-time Delaware 10 educators State Park rangers handled more than 5 animal keepers and zoo managers 4,700 complaints this year. That breaks down to 2 canines 196 complaints per ranger in 2018. 1 director The ratio of park rangers to state park visitors in 713 casual/seasonal staff, including: 2019 was 1 to 251,112. • 65 ocean lifeguards to The ratio of park rangers protect swimmers at the to acres of land managed Atlantic Ocean beaches is 1 park ranger for every • 59 lifeguards to protect 1,112 acres of land visitors at the Killens Pond managed. Water Park • 64 Youth Conservation Corps Members Who We Are 7 PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST RESOURCE Delaware is the Outstanding Employees Recognized smallest state Chief Enforcement Officer Wayne Kline was named the 2018 ever to receive Employee of the Year at the annual Delaware State Parks Employee the National Recognition Awards ceremony in March 2019. Chief Kline oversees the Division’s Enforcement section, which includes the park ranger Recreation and the ocean lifeguard programs. and Parks He has led the enforcement section during a period of exceptional Association growth at Delaware State Parks. With limited staff, Chief Kline’s team Gold Medal has provided world-class service, including performing 400 rescues at the park’s guarded beaches Award for during the last three summers. The section also added a K-9 program to the enforcement team. Excellence Chief Kline can often be found working side-by-side with fellow rangers on busy holidays and in State Park weekends. He also represents Delaware State Parks by working with outside agencies such as DEMA, Delaware State Police Council, Special Olympics, The North Carolina Ranger Academy, and Management he serves as the liaison to the Friends of Cape Henlopen. Other honorees at the March ceremony were: Outstanding Achiever Award Outstanding Innovator Award Grant Melville Brint Spencer Jim Thomas Gary Laudeman John Lister Jennifer Bradford Rachel Phillos Laura Scharle Trevor Ditmore Sarah Zimmerman Wayne Knolls Sean Carrow Outstanding Customer Service Award Director’s Cup Jennifer Gomez Wilmington State Parks Joseph Shockley Baynard Stadium Team Vincent Imhof Wayne Kline Outstanding Organizer Award Alison Romano Elizabeth Adroskaut Laura Scharle Theresa Mosier Outstanding Mentor Award Eric Dawson Clyde L. Shipman Award for Excellence in James Wagner Park Management Jill DeFelice Barbara Woodford Outstanding Motivator Award Laura Scharle, manager of the Indian Ian Drummond River Life Saving Station, won DNREC's John Wales Innovator Distinguished Employee Award. Lauren Barczak Alison Romano, volunteer manager, won Michael Hitch the Department's Organizer Distinguished Patrick Thompson Employee Award.