WILMINGTON, DELAWARE — March 3, 2007 —The Delaware Chapter of The Nature Conservancy is inviting all environmentalists, 4-Hclubs, civic, school, FFA, and scout groups to help restore Delaware’s forests. Individuals or groups are welcome to work one day or on each of the project workdays. All that is needed is a desire to help and the ability to wield a shovel in exercising some good old-fashioned “elbow grease.” As an added incentive, volunteers will have the opportunity to explore some pf the state’s most unique habitats and participate in cutting-edge reforestation methods.

Work time on each of the days will begin at 9 a.m. and end at approximately 2 p.m. The Planting Days at Milford Neck in Kent County are Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 1. Planting Days at Ponders Tract in the Pemberton Forest Preserve near Milton in Sussex County are Saturday, April 14 and Sunday April 15.

The goal of both projects is to restore and enhance habitat. State and Federal funding sources have jump-started The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) efforts. The Milford Neck Project received $20,000 through a Cooperative Agreement with the US Fish & Wildlife Service. The Ponders Tract reforestation project was made possible by a $19,350 grant from the Delaware Land Incentive Program.

Under the direction of TNC’s land stewards, community volunteers will plant habitat islands at both sites. These habitat islands will be pockets of native vegetation that will attract birds and animals that will, in turn, continue the reforestation process by spreading seeds.

Milford Neck Preserve is 2,800 acres located north of the town of Milford just east of Rt. 1. The reforestation project here will create habitat islands throughout 44 acres of former agricultural land with the planting of about 800 Native saplings. In addition to the 44 acres of planting, the overall design at Milford Neck includes restoration of 265 acres of wetlands, upland forests and riparian buffer with an added emphasis on invasive species control.

The Pemberton Forest Preserve is 1,364 acres of land that is located near the town of Milton. Prior to purchase by TNC, the Ponders Tract section of the preserve had been clear-cut for lumber and replanted with a single fast-growing hybrid of loblolly pine for the timber industry. Next month’s reforestation project, will reintroduce several hard wood species like maple, pin oak, sassafras, and cherry. These mixed hardwoods, in combination with some loblolly pine common to Delaware’s historical coastal forests, will speed the change from pine monoculture to a mixed forest more typical of the coastal plains of Delaware.

According to Ashley Sutton, TNC Land Steward, “This project and the many volunteers we expect, will advance The Nature Conservancy in Delaware’s mission of protecting Delaware’s Last Great Places.

Volunteers should contact Ashley Sutton at (302) 684-5348 or E-mail: Ashley_Sutton@tnc.org.