DNREC News

Aug. 18, 2000
Vol. 30, No. 250

For additional information, contact Friends of White Clay Creek State Park project leaders Al Zverina, 302-239-6108, or Christa Stefanisko, 302-369-1933; Nick McFadden, park superintendent, 302-368-6900; or Rob Line, the Division of Parks and Recreation’s natural areas program manager, 302-739-3423.

Friends of White Clay Creek State Park Plan Reforestation Project

The Friends of White Clay Creek State Park are recruiting volunteers to help with the reforestation of a 9-acre agricultural field in the Possum Hill section of the northern New Castle County park. The initial planting will be during the weekend of Oct. 28 and 29 and will place 600 trees on two acres of the field.

Individuals or groups interested in participating should call Christa Stefanisko, co-leader of the project, at 302-369-1933.
A key goal of the project is to help preserve and extend Delaware’s natural forests by ensuring that open land is planted with native trees. "Under the Division of Parks and Recreation’s guidance, we are picking tree species that are compatible with the surrounding forest," said Al Zverina, project co-leader. "Without this intentional planting of native species, open land like this farm field would almost certainly be overrun by invasive, nonnative plant species if it were simply allowed to ‘revert to nature.’ The project is at least a small step in the right direction toward maintaining the state’s biodiversity."

Another goal of the reforestation effort is to improve wildlife habitat and forest quality by reducing forest fragmentation. Many forest-dwelling wildlife species require large, continuous forest areas to live successfully, and forest fragmentation threatens their ability to survive and thrive.

The site is an elongated 9-acre field that is almost completely surrounded by high quality forest habitat. Reforesting this field will reduce the amount of edge-affected forest in the area, providing a high payoff toward the goal of reducing forest fragmentation, according to Zverina.

A third benefit of the project is public involvement and education through volunteer participation in the reforestation effort and subsequent public education programs conducted by the park staff. "While we already have a number of volunteers signed up, we need more people to help with the planting," said Christa Stefanisko, also co-leader of the project.
The project is being supported by grants from Delaware’s Longwood and Welfare Foundations, combined with funds previously committed by the Division of Parks and Recreation and the Friends toward expenses for the project. "We are highly appreciative of the support provided by these foundations and the Division, enabling us to proceed with this important project to restore habitat in the park," said Stefanisko.

White Clay Creek State Park, located in northern New Castle County, contains more than 3,200 acres of fields, forest, streams and trails. It was established by a partnership of government agencies, private citizens, conservation organizations and corporations to protect the natural resources of the White Clay Creek Valley and to provide scenic beauty and recreational activities for the public. The park is home to a great diversity of plant and animal species. It provides a setting for visitors to view wildlife in its natural habitat, learn about the plants and animals that live in the fields and woods, hike a trail, take in a park educational program, or just sit and reflect on the beauty of nature. The park received approximately 90,000 visitors in 1999.

The Friends of White Clay Creek State Park is a nonprofit organization of more than 150 members dedicated to the protection and preservation of the park through needs assessment, enhancement projects, public relations, and education.

For additional information about the project, contact Zverina at 302-239-6108 or Stefanisko, 302-369-1933. (document no. 40-01/00/08/19)

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