Delaware Policy & Government Relations

Advocacy Spotlight Archive

• September 2024: Interview with TNC Delaware's Stewardship Program Manager, Natasha Whetzel

  The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) global work is anchored by conservation and advocacy work on the ground in states like Delaware and beyond. TNC Delaware Stewardship Program Manager Natasha Whetzel oversees the management and restoration of our six nature preserves. Natasha has been working in land stewardship and prescribed fire for over 13 years. She began her career with The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina after receiving a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from The University of North Carolina Wilmington.

  Natasha joined TNC Delaware 9 years ago and she has implemented important tools of land stewardship, including prescribed burns across the Delmarva. In 2017, she implemented the first prescribed burn to take place on Conservancy lands in Delaware and has since planned and implemented numerous prescribed burns, totaling over 700 acres, on the Conservancy’s lands in Delaware. Natasha is a National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2)  She also plays a role with our advocacy work and advises our policy staff on native species and biodiversity.

  What is your role at TNC?

  I oversee the management and restoration of our nature preserves in Delaware. I am also beginning to work more externally to promote prescribed fire on Delmarva and help educate the public about fire.

  I work in various habitats, including grasslands, wetlands, and forests. An important part of my work is supervising management and restoration practices on our preserves and allowed uses, including but not limited to timber management, prescribed fire, hunting, invasives management, research, rare species monitoring and management, legal monitoring, preserve infrastructure. We are also developing and promoting our Flagship preserves, Ponders Tract, and McCabe, to showcase our management and expertise and increase accessibility. 

  Can you describe a day in life of a TNC Stewardship Program Manager?

  Land Steward positions are field-oriented—most days are spent working outside at a nature preserve. Being a land steward requires a person who enjoys hard, old-fashioned labor because there’s much of it. You must have a good work ethic with patience to see results. You must be safety-oriented, flexible, a problem solver, and able to adapt to changing situations.

  An example of a day being a steward could be performing invasive plant treatments in the field. It could be something like wearing a 3-gallon backpack sprayer with an herbicide mixture (TNC uses safe herbicides in limited ways to kill non-native species) on an 85-degree day, broadcast spraying non-native invasive multiflora rose, Chinese lespedeza, etc. It’s hot; you’re sweating, your back hurts, the backpack sprayer has a small leak, so herbicide drips down your back; there is the occasional wind gust that sprays the herbicide back at you, and ticks, mosquitoes, and flies are biting. This could be a pretty typical day spraying invasives. Stewards push through these challenges because they care about conserving our natural lands and native biodiversity. The payoff comes when, in 2-4 weeks, you see your efforts result in success – reduced invasives, creating space to increase natives. 

  What are the goals of your work?

  The overall encompassing goal of my work is to promote biodiversity and ecological resilience and help preserve Delaware’s natural heritage through active ecological management and species conservation. 

  How is your work woven into TNC's advocacy work?

  I worked closely with the Delaware Department of Agriculture and partners to help establish the Delaware Prescribed Fire Council. The goal of the council is to support the policy and practice of prescribed burns. I also have played a role in advocating for more state open space funding in the General Assembly, serving as an advocate for the preservation of native species and the benefits of protecting biodiversity, and providing advice to our policy staff.

  What is biodiversity and why is it important?

  All life on earth is part of an interdependent web that is strengthened by a wide variety of wildlife, plant, insect, and fungal species. Unfortunately, Delaware has a high percentage of native flora in decline, rare, or extinct—an estimated 40% according to State Botanist Bill McAvoy. To help slow down the biodiversity crisis in Delaware, we need to protect and restore large, contiguous, and connected landscapes and utilize ecological management practices (like more prescribed fire) that will promote biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

  A continual highlight of my work is being able to witness rare or interesting plants return to a landscape and thrive following management practices we implemented. Like the return of Platanthera cristata after a tree thinning, sunlight was increased on the forest floor and stimulated its growth. Or the recent finds of the rare Hessel’s Hairstreak Butterfly, and Delaware’s largest Atlantic White Cedar which is a globally threatened tree species that plays host to a variety of rare and threatened species.

  What are the benefits of prescribed fire to the environment?

  Prescribed fire removes old vegetation and makes room for new growth. Fire stimulates the reproduction of herbaceous plans and produces increased plant diversity. By safely managing the natural process of fire on the landscape instead of preventing it, we can build resiliency against climate change, improve native species habitat, and reduce the risk of out-of-control wildfires. With increased populations and development, wildfires should no longer burn their way through large landscapes like they did for millennia. For this reason, land managers and landowners must now implement prescribed fire or controlled burns to mimic the natural presence of fire in an ecosystem.

  To visit our two public preserves and see Natasha’s work in action, check out Ponders Tract and the Edward H. McCabe Preserve.

• August 2024: 2024 General Assembly Recap

  Last weekend, my family and I took a moonlit walk along the beach in Lewes. Under the bright moon, we encountered a dozen or more horseshoe crabs stranded on their backs, unable to flip over due to the tide. We spent about an hour walking up and down the beach, turning the crabs over and returning them to the ocean. Although I had heard that beach visitors sometimes rescue horseshoe crabs at night, this was my first time experiencing it. It was an incredible experience and a stark reminder of how vulnerable wildlife is in the First State, and how individual actions can make a difference.

  Speaking of individual action, the Delaware General Assembly has recently completed its session. By working together with you, legislators, and environmental partners, we have demonstrated the power of organizing individuals for the collective good. We achieved many successes during this session, but the two most important are:

  Senate Bill (SB 265) Offshore Wind

  Offshore wind offers an opportunity to bring about an era of 100% renewable energy and a greener, cleaner future. SB 265, sponsored by Senator Stephanie Hansen and Rep. Deb Heffernan, creates an offshore wind procurement strategy for the First State—a necessary step in helping Delaware meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set in last year’s Climate Change Solutions Act. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) supports the rapid and sustainable development of offshore wind projects that avoid potential impacts to habitat and species through the use of the best data available, mitigation strategies and engagement with key stakeholders.

  The bill paves the way for offshore wind to be added to the Delaware electricity grid. It also includes important language requested by TNC that requires that any wind projects must address conservation and mitigation elements…essentially the idea that offshore wind construction must reduce potential environmental impacts and provide investments in natural habitat.

  Senate Bill (SB) 237: County and Local Planning for Climate Change

  Climate change, rising seas and more intense storms put Delawareans at risk. Future land use planning should take these factors into account so to curb new development in areas that will be underwater or subject to storm flooding risk. Currently, each county in Delaware and municipalities with more than 2,000 residents is required by law to engage in comprehensive planning every 10 years. These plans guide the use of land, water and resources including zoning, transportation, affordable housing, economic development, open space and recreation, and other important topics. But until now, state law is silent on requiring them to consider the impacts of climate change.

  SB 237, sponsored by State Senator Stephanie Hansen and State Rep. Deborah Heffernan, requires that counties take climate change and community resiliency into account when developing their comprehensive plans including reducing risk to property, infrastructure, agriculture and natural resources; encouraging the development of new housing away from areas vulnerable to flooding and sea-level rise; consideration of land restoration where appropriate; and reducing car-centric development patterns and requiring the consideration of state evacuation roads in case of an emergency. While municipalities of more than 2,000 residents face fewer requirements in state law, the bill will require they consider climate and resiliency in their plans going forward.

  Both bills set up Delaware to plan for a brighter future. Thank you to those individuals who worked so hard to pass these bills and to anyone who is on a Delaware Bay beach on a moonlight night returning horseshoe crabs to the sea.

  To learn more about TNC’s advocacy in the First State, email Emily Knearl, Director of Government Relations & External Affairs: Emily.Knearl@tnc.org.

• July 2024: Senator Coons and the Global Leadership Summit

  This text originally appeared in the Delaware Online as an op-ed

  During the recent Mid-Atlantic U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) event hosted by Delaware’s U.S. Senator Chris Coons, the global issues became local. Speaker after speaker, including U.S. Rep. Blunt Rochester, discussed how changes in the climate, environment, economic development, and food policy abroad impact us at home. Among a group of remarkable speakers, Mary Maker, a former Sudanese refugee who graduated from college in 2023, and who serves as a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador, provided a unique perspective. Ms. Maker captivated the audience as she declared, "a hungry world is an unstable world," sharing her childhood experience in a refugee camp and the impact of violent conflict on food production and regional stability. Despite these challenges, she also emphasized the importance of hope and highlighted her story as one of positive change, even in the most desperate circumstances.

  As a member of the U.S Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Coons has made it a personal mission to build hope and address the interconnected challenges we face not only at home but across the globe—the decline in our natural world and accelerated loss of species, climate change and the conflicts they exacerbate. Left unaddressed, these threats can severely undermine the world and the U.S. by weakening global food systems, damaging our lands and waters, and potentially creating large populations of climate refugees. The U.S. government, with the support of public and private partners like The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is uniquely positioned to provide urgent and comprehensive steps for the planet to become more sustainable, address the ever-growing loss of plant and wildlife species and the challenges caused by climate change, and increase opportunities for human communities to recover and thrive.

  To assist in this work, TNC is advocating in Congress under Senator Coons’ leadership for the bipartisan U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act to establish a conservation foundation that would leverage government, private sector, and philanthropic funding to support local communities and Indigenous Peoples around the world in effectively managing protected and conserved areas by investing up to $100 million annually. The U.S. would incentivize philanthropic and private giving to match government funds by investing new and additional resources that would complement traditional U.S. foreign assistance to biodiversity conservation. Combined, this would provide consistent funding for protected areas globally and ensure the long-term protection of these critical landscapes and habitats. Such stability also benefits global security by using conservation work to stimulate economic growth by providing jobs, skills training, and local revenue.

  The key goal of Senator Coons and the Foundation is to prioritize support for countries committed to good governance, sustainable development of resources, and enhancing global security, which aligns with America's strategic interests. These investments can be instrumental in strengthening partnerships with developing countries and combating illicit activities such as wildlife trafficking and illegal deforestation. Together, we can turn one of today’s biggest challenges into our greatest opportunity: creating stronger environmental and food systems that go beyond sustainability and create positive growth for communities, economies, and the planet.

  Author: Lori Brennan, Executive Director, TNC PA/DE

• June 2024: Freshwater Wetlands are Nature's Superheroes

  This text originally appeared in the Delaware News Journal as an op-ed

  Freshwater wetlands are nature’s superheroes. Covering nearly 25 percent of Delaware’s land area, freshwater wetlands are a vital part of our natural heritage and a key component of the First State’s healthy ecosystems. Wetlands are working wonders: during heavy rainfall, they are the first line of defense to soak up and slow down floodwaters. As greenhouse gases continue to threaten our planet’s health, wetlands act as a natural carbon sink and provide important habitat for numerous wildlife species, including many of our state’s threatened or endangered species. Yet, despite losing thousands of acres of freshwater wetlands over the past century, Delaware is the only Mid-Atlantic state without its own program to protect non-tidal wetlands.

  Last year’s Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA sharply limited the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate certain waterways, undoing decades of federal protections under the Clean Water Act and leaving approximately 75,000 acres of Delaware freshwater wetlands unprotected. Today, only freshwater wetlands considered connected to a navigable waterway with a continuous surface connection will fall under federal jurisdiction, resulting in over half of the country’s wetlands — including many in Delaware — being stripped of critical safeguards.

  Senate Bill 290 fills the void left by Sackett by requiring the state to establish state protections for freshwater wetlands while also affirming the existing state coastal wetlands program. We must increase local protection for federally unregulated freshwater wetlands and establish a consistent regulatory structure for navigation, permitting and recreation.

  The ecological consequences of widespread freshwater wetland loss would be severe: marshes would no longer filter pollutants or mitigate stormwater overflow, resulting in increased water contamination and flood damage. Many of our state’s most cherished plants, animals, birds, and fish could see drastic reductions in their habitats.

  Wetlands are conservation heroes and we cannot take their future for granted.  We ask members of the public to reach out to your state legislator to ask them to support SB 290 and urge the Delaware General Assembly to pass the legislation to ensure the continued health and well-being of these First State natural treasures before it’s too late.
  

  To find your state legislator, click here and enter your home address.

  Sen. Stephanie Hansen is the Chair of the Senate Environment, Energy and Transportation Committee and represents Delaware’s 10th Senate District, and Keith Fisher is the Conservation Director for The Nature Conservancy in Delaware and Pennsylvania.

• May 2024: Offshore Wind: Let's Clear the Air

  Offshore wind is again in front of the Delaware General Assembly. Senate Bill 265 creates an offshore wind procurement strategy for the First State—a necessary step in helping Delaware meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set in last year’s Climate Change Solutions Act.

  The legislation includes important language requested by TNC that requires that projects must address conservation and mitigation elements…essentially the idea that offshore wind construction must reduce potential environmental impacts and provide investments in natural habitat.

  You can make your voice heard to help build a cleaner, greener future for Delaware by contacting your legislator today. Don’t know who represents you in Dover? Use the Find My Legislator tool today and ask your state senator and representative to support Senate Bill 265.

  Why offshore wind?

  TNC recognizes that some are still skeptical about offshore wind. We support the rapid and sustainable development of clean energy, including offshore wind, that avoids potential impacts to habitat and species through the use of the best data available, mitigation strategies and engagement with key stakeholders.

  The Benefits of Offshore Wind

  Clean energy can help safeguard our natural heritage. Delaware’s unique natural environments—the bays, tidal marshes, dunes and freshwater wetlands—are home to rare, threatened or endangered plant and animal life, including the globally recognized horseshoe crab and migrating red knot. Climate change is a direct threat to their habitats.

  Offshore wind investments can help reduce the severity of climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, funding vital wildlife data collection and habitat restoration in coastal areas, and even enhancing marine life habitats through a nature-based design approach.

  Clean energy is also better for public health. Air pollution, often caused by burning fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, is a known trigger for asthma and respiratory diseases. Delaware and the nation would breathe easier with offshore wind and other clean energy build-outs.

  Developing offshore wind off the coast of Delaware will also benefit the economy. Wind energy promises to reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and enhance national security by increasing U.S. energy independence. Offshore wind can also be a job creator requiring a full range of skilled jobs, from electricians to construction workers to design, manufacturing, installation and other technical skills. And the jobs won’t end when construction is complete.

  Offshore wind can help build a cleaner, greener future for Delaware.

  To learn more or participate in the May 16, 2024, Offshore Wind Lobby Day in Legislative Hall, please contact Emily Knearl at emily.knearl@TNC.ORG.

• April 2024: Local Planning for Climate Change

  Delaware is known for its natural beauty. Our iconic beaches, rivers, wetlands and forests offer recreational opportunities and a home for wildlife. The First State has so much in the natural environment to appreciate and protect. Yet we also hear stories of how flooding and sea-level rise are increasingly impacting our everyday lives—communities in Delaware who after a rain storm watch the tide schedule to see if they can drive on a certain road, or a town that moves fire trucks out of a fire company HQ to avoid flooded roads and aid in rescues based upon the weather forecast, or boats used to retrieve stranded neighbors after a Bayshore storm, and homeowners’ yards that more and more become small ponds after a rain event. And, of course, the most dramatic example of recent flooding is Tropical Storm Ida, which impacted 200 homes and required 248 water rescues in Wilmington. We must do more to plan for these events—and plan new developments out of harm’s way.

  Senate Bill 237: Climate planning for local governments

  Currently, each county in Delaware and municipalities with more than 2,000 residents are required by law to engage in comprehensive planning every 10 years. These plans guide the use of land, water and resources including zoning, transportation, affordable housing, economic development, open space and recreation, and other important topics. But until now, state law is silent on requiring them to consider the impacts of climate change.

  New legislation Senate Bill 237, sponsored by State Senator Stephanie Hansen and State Rep. Deborah Heffernan, requires that counties take climate change and community resiliency into account when developing their comprehensive plans including reducing risk to property, infrastructure, agriculture and natural resources; encouraging the development of new housing away from areas vulnerable to flooding and sea-level rise; consideration of land restoration where appropriate; and reducing car-centric development patterns and requiring the consideration of state evacuation roads in case of an emergency.

  While municipalities of more than 2,000 residents face fewer requirements in state law, the bill will require they consider climate and resiliency in their plans going forward.

  Now is the time to act. We are working with General Assembly members and partners to pass this legislation because we know that the health of natural systems and human communities are closely linked. Our future depends on it.

  To learn more, please contact Emily Knearl at emily.knearl@TNC.ORG.

• March 2024: Make your voice heard at Conservation Day

  You are cordially invited to the Third Annual Conservation Day in Legislative Hall on Tuesday, March 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open space and conserved land are precious in Delaware, and the clock is ticking on our ability to protect our natural world. Conserved open spaces contribute to fighting climate change, preserving our rich natural heritage, protecting important habitats, helping our economy, and offering mental and physical health benefits.

  We are looking for supporters of open spaces and conserving lands to join us in Legislative Hall in Dover this March to meet with legislators and the governor’s office staff. Working with the Delaware Land Protection Coalition, we will provide talking points, a schedule and a TNC staffer to join you in every meeting. But we need you to share why open spaces are important to you!

  The Delaware Land Protection Coalition (DLPC) is a group of conservation-focused organizations committed to increasing the amount of lands protected, including natural, cultural, historical and recreational resources. As a coalition, we seek to expand land conservation by identifying expanded sources of funding for land conservation, increasing our partnership with the state, collaborating with each other and furthering the work of each of our respective organizations. 

  We hear repeatedly from our legislative leaders how important it is to hear from the public on open space conservation. If you are interested in joining us on March 26 in Dover or have questions, please contact Emily Knearl at emily.knearl@TNC.ORG.

• February 2024: Conservation Day in Leg Hall

  You are cordially invited to the Third Annual Conservation Day in Legislative Hall on Tuesday, March 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open space and conserved land are precious in Delaware, and the clock is ticking on our ability to protect our natural world. Conserved open spaces contribute to fighting climate change, preserving our rich natural heritage, protecting important habitats, helping our economy, and offering mental and physical health benefits.

  We are looking for supporters of open spaces and conserving lands to join us in Legislative Hall in Dover this March to meet with legislators and the governor’s office staff. Working with the Delaware Land Protection Coalition, we will provide talking points, a schedule and a TNC staffer to join you in every meeting. But we need you to share why open spaces are important to you!

  The Delaware Land Protection Coalition (DLPC) is a group of conservation-focused organizations committed to increasing the amount of lands protected, including natural, cultural, historical and recreational resources. As a coalition, we seek to expand land conservation by identifying expanded sources of funding for land conservation, increasing our partnership with the state, collaborating with each other and furthering the work of each of our respective organizations. 

  We hear repeatedly from our legislative leaders how important it is to hear from the public on open space conservation. If you are interested in joining us on March 26 in Dover or have questions, please contact Emily Knearl at emily.knearl@TNC.ORG.

• January 2024: TNC DE's 2024 Public Policy Agenda

  The General Assembly returns to session in January 2024. TNC will again be in Legislative Hall in Dover working with legislators, state agencies, and partners to advance environmental policies in Delaware. The 2023 session included some important environmental “wins” including the House Bill 99, the Climate Change Solutions Act, as well as progress on electric buses, solar power, offshore wind power, freshwater wetlands education, clean water, and more. But there is still much more work to be done as we start the new year.

  The 2024 advocacy agenda seeks to build on the 2023 progress and continue to keep conservation and climate change at the center of our advocacy work. TNC will:

  • Work with the Delaware Land Protection Coalition to increase funding for state and local open space and state agriculture preservation programs, an updated open space strategy that includes climate change considerations and the input of nonprofits and state agencies.    
  • Work with partners to advance coastal resilience and climate adaptation strategies including conserving additional lands, facilitating marsh migration as sea levels rise, exploring new agricultural easement strategies, advocating for public policy changes and restoring critical habitats for our iconic fish, birds and wildlife.
  • Create a state freshwater wetlands protection program following the U.S. Supreme Court Sackett decision which significantly weakened federal wetlands protections.
  • Support the creation of aggressive climate change policies on the state and local level in Delaware that address rising waters, flooding, carbon capture, land use planning, green infrastructure and the needs of overburdened populations.
  • Maintain and protect Delaware’s ground and surface waters, including new stream and waterway buffer requirements, and emphasizing resiliency, green infrastructure, flood mitigation, habitat protection and overburdened communities.     
  • Work with clean energy advocates and partners to develop policies that support increased solar and offshore wind power in the First State.
  • Support the Delaware Environmental Accountability Coalition to seek additional protections from pollutants for overburdened communities and increase partnerships, education and awareness on environmental justice issues and how they connect with TNC priorities.   

  If any of these agenda items resonate with you and you would like to know how you can help, or if you have any questions, please email Emily Knearl, Delaware director of government relations & external affairs. 

• December 2023: An Interview with Rep. Sophie Phillips

  As Vice-chair of the State House of Representatives Energy and Environment Committee, Rep. Sophie Phillips focuses her work on environmental justice throughout the state of Delaware with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in parks. Over the past few years, she has also worked on expanding urban green space in Wilmington, Delaware and in Baltimore, Maryland in partnership with community groups.

  Phillips has an extensive background in wildlife studies and environmental fieldwork. She was a sponsor on several clean energy and climate legislation bills, as well as the prime House sponsor on new stream buffer legislation. An avid outdoorswoman, Phillips is committed to working to increase access to environmental careers. She possesses a Bachelor of Science Degree with Distinction from the University of Delaware in Environmental and Marine Science and a Master's Degree in Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Delaware.

  Why did you decide to work on environmental policy?

  I was fortunate to grow up in a household that valued the environment and raised me to love hiking, camping, and exploring. From a very young age, my sisters and I would run around the woods in our backyard barefoot, climb trees, and look for wildlife. My little sister and I literally spent every day after school in a tree doing our homework.

  My mom has always been politically active, especially when it comes to environmental issues. When I was 7 years old, a developer planned to build condominiums on 100 acres of forested land adjacent to where I grew up. My mom organized a petition drive and brought me with her door-to-door to oppose the plan. I remember how exciting it was to talk with our neighbors about the importance of protecting our forest. My mom and the neighbors we recruited showed up at the open space meetings with local elected officials and asked the developer tough questions, including asking for additional environmental studies. Eventually, given the public opposition, the developer decided not to do the project up and donated the land to the state and 20 years later, that forest is still protected.

  My mom has been discussing environmental policy with me since I could speak and my siblings and I have been exploring the natural world since we could walk, so it makes sense that I ended up getting degrees in environmental science and energy and environmental policy. It also makes sense that my prime focus in the legislature is environmental policy. I find environmental issues to be the most pressing because of the impact we are already seeing in our state, nationally, and globally. There is an urgency there that cannot be ignored.

  What do you see as the most important environmental challenges for Delaware?

  I think there are several environmental challenges impacting our state. Clean energy as a whole is something that we are going to have to focus on. Electrification of buildings for core functions and vehicles is vital to reduce fossil fuel use as is growing investments in wind and solar energy. As we shift to clean energy, we have to ensure we are keeping costs down for consumers and incorporating the needs of our environmental justice communities. We are going to have to take a serious look at land use and how we can incorporate sustainable development into our plans. Land use has an impact on water quality, air quality, and the preservation of open space. Delaware is the lowest-lying state in the nation, meaning we need to pay attention to sea level rise and how we are developing land along the coast.

  What are your legislative priorities for 2024?

  I am currently working on several bills, many of which include environmental bills. Senator Russ Huxtable and I are working on increasing buffers along waterways throughout the state to help improve water quality. I am working on a bird-safe window bill to decrease bird collisions and hopefully improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Collectively, the General Assembly environmental team is working on freshwater wetland protections, increased usage of clean energy, and the potential growth of aquaculture in our state. I am also very interested in having conversations around sustainable development. We had a fantastic year for environmental legislation in 2023 and it is my goal is to make 2024 another successful year.

  What tips would you share so the public can be more engaged in Leg Hall?

  On legis.delaware.gov, the public has access to every committee hearing and all bills that are currently introduced. I recommend getting involved in public comment on committee days if a bill is on the agenda that sparks interest. Everyone has access to give public comment through email, phone, Zoom, or in person. I welcome folks to reach out to me and others with ideas/concerns/suggestions. It truly makes my job easier when people come to me with ideas. I represent you, so tell me what you are thinking.

  Many people get involved in politics through organizations like The Nature Conservancy. Attend their meetings, get to know folks already engaged in policy, and come see us in Legislative Hall on advocacy days.

  Lastly, I think attending civic association meetings is beneficial. These meetings allow you to meet your legislators and discuss issues that are impacting you and your community.  

  For more information on TNC’s advocacy in Delaware or to get involved, email: Emily.Knearl@TNC.org.

• November 2023: Delaware Heads to Washington, D.C

  In early October, TNC in Delaware joined colleagues and board members from across the country and globe to attend the Volunteer Leadership Summit (VLS) in Washington, D.C. The three-day event included meetings and educational opportunities, but the highlight was Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill where TNC staff, board members, and volunteers connected with their elected leaders in Congress. TNC PA/DE Executive Director Lori Brennan, Board Chair Carol Collier, and Board Vice Chair Rich Innes joined Delaware Director of Government Relations & External Affairs Emily Knearl, to meet with Sens. Carper and Coons and Rep. Blunt Rochester’s offices for phenomenal meetings where they discussed conservation and climate policies in Delaware. The First State is lucky to have such a strong delegation with a strong commitment to the environment.

  Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

  The TNC Delaware team thanked our congressional delegation for their support of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act which could bring $7.8 million to the First State to recover endangered species and to prevent at-risk wildlife from becoming endangered.

  Taking action on RAWA is urgent with over a third of America’s fish and wildlife species at risk of extinction. Over 1,600 species are already listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) with state fish and wildlife agencies identifying more than 12,000 additional species that need conservation help now.

  The Farm Bill

  Another important TNC priority for Capitol Hill is the Farm Bill. It is the most important legislation for conserving private lands in the United States. It provides farmers, ranchers and forest landowners with the tools to protect and preserve their land and way of life while addressing climate change. Conservation practices supported by the Farm Bill result in cleaner water, increased carbon sequestration, healthier soils, enhanced wildlife habitat and more.

  For Delaware, our Farm Bill and general agricultural advocacy focus on concerns about rising sea levels and its impacts on local farmers. Now more than ever the nation needs champions for innovative agricultural conservation strategies that take into account the real-world impacts of climate change.

  The sea level rise data is clear:

  • Coastal farms on Delmarva report twice as high the amount of saltwater inundation as the global average.
  • Visible salt patches nearly doubled in the Delmarva between 2011-2017.
  • Delaware had the highest amount of farmland lost on the Delmarva at about 9,500 acres.  Source: Spread and Cost of Saltwater in the Mid-Atlantic (Modal, et all, UD, July 2023)

  New research and development investments are critical to studying the impact of saltwater inundation on agriculture and to spur the development of saltwater-resistant crops. We, too, are advocating for greater flexibility in the federal agricultural easement and restoration programs so that farmers do not face financial penalties from something out of their control—rising seas. We need more partnerships and incentives to reward farmers for continuing to work with nature and facilitate wetlands and marsh migration in those lands impacted by sea level rise.

  The TNC Advocacy Day in D.C. was capped off by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons’ address to the 400 attendees of the Volunteer Leadership Summit. Coons shared the impacts of climate on his home state and the planned re-introduction of the National Coordination on Adaptation and Resilience for Security Act of 2023. The bipartisan bill takes a whole-of-government approach to climate resilience and adaptation. It will not only enhance coordination between federal agencies and other bodies of government but will also meaningfully involve and pay special attention to the most vulnerable communities that often have few resources to address climate change challenges.

  For more information on TNC’s advocacy in Delaware or to get involved, email: Emily.Knearl@TNC.org.

• October 2023: Delaware’s Coastal Resources & Climate Change

  From beaches to salt marshes to maritime forests, the Delaware coast provides a vital home for native wildlife and plant species while also serving as a natural filter and flood barrier. TNC is committed to working with partners to advance coastal resilience and climate adaptation, including strategies to conserve additional lands, facilitate marsh migration as sea levels rise, and restore critical habitats for our iconic migratory fish, birds, and wildlife.

  The coastline of Delaware supports more than 50,000 acres of highly resilient coastal wetlands that support an enormous array of biodiversity. These wetlands have been identified as having the physical characteristics that increase their likely resilience to sea level rise: i.e., available large migration areas with a diversity of tidal classes that are evenly distributed, a complex shoreline, and a geophysically diverse buffer area. Delaware’s coastal beach and dune habitats also support globally important biodiversity including the largest concentration of spawning horseshoe crabs in the world, whose eggs support the 9,000-mile migration journey of the federally threatened Red Knot. Coastal saltmarshes provided critical habitat for commercially important species in Delaware such as blue crab and striped bass. Delaware's maritime forests provide shelter from heat for species utilizing the marshes and breeding habitat for herons, eagles, etc.

  These areas are not only beautiful but play a vital role in reducing flood risk in an era of rising seas and increased precipitation events. In a study following Hurricane Sandy, researchers found existing wetlands avoided $625 million in direct flood damages in the northeastern U.S. As we think about how to respond to climate change and rising seas, marshes, saltwater wetlands, and maritime forests are already being impacted and will need to shift landward and be protected. Existing and new development in beach/ marsh/forest migration zones reduces the ability of natural systems to move and adapt in response to sea level rise and limits the opportunity for those systems to moderate the risk of flooding and storm damage. We must work together as a community to recognize the value of conservation, restoration and migration strategies for these vital areas.

  Another potential tool in the toolbox of responding to a changing climate is restorative aquaculture. The ocean faces unprecedented challenges in the form of overfishing, coastal water pollution, and habitat degradation. Restorative aquaculture can offer multiple benefits and should be included for consideration in any ocean and bay plan. A substantial number of peer-reviewed publications now show that shellfish and seaweed farms—with the right practices, in the right places—can actually help restore ocean health. While restorative aquaculture can be a complex undertaking there are resources. An expert working group led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) produced the Global Principles of Restorative Aquaculture in 2021, a report intended to define restorative aquaculture, provide implementation guidance, establish parameters, and forge a common understanding for this important ocean restoration and food production solution.

  At TNC we are committed to working together with partners and our members to build a more resilient ocean and bay in Delaware. Using innovative practices and with an eye toward the future, our goal continues to be to build a world—and a First State—where people and nature thrive.