AWARDS

First State RC&D Council – FY 1999 and FY 2005 Mid-Atlantic Outstanding Council National Association of Conservation Districts’ 2006 RC&D Council Conservation Partnership Diversity Award Delaware Bay Workcamp– FY 2005 Mid-Atlantic and National RC&D Youth Involvement of the Year Kent Levy Court Parks Division – FY 2005 Mid-Atlantic Outstanding Sponsor First State RC&D Council – FY 2004 East Region RC&D Council/NRCS Earth Team Award Kent County ILC Ramp Project– FY 2003 Mid-Atlantic and National RC&D Youth Involvement of the Year Utica Presbytery Delaware Youth Work Camp– FY 2002 Mid-Atlantic and National RC&D Youth Involvement of the Year Richard Mickowski– FY 2002 Mid-Atlantic Outstanding Council Member First State RC&D Council– FY 2001 Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies Award for Excellence in Volunteer Management Delaware State Housing Authority– FY 1999 Mid-Atlantic and National RC&D Outstanding Sponsor Les Lockerman and Al Goldhammer– Delaware Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award
		NARC&DC President Sharon Ruggi presents the 2005 National Youth Involvement of the Year award to Gary Smith, Susan Hajec, Kelley Steed, and Lauren Nelson

ENERGY

In June 2007, the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Delaware Energy Office, the Mid-Atlantic CHP Application Center, the Northeast Regional Biomass Program, and First State RC&D co-sponsored the Biomass Combined Heat and Power for Delmarva Workshop.

More than fifty people attended the workshop and learned the benefits of combined heat and power generation (CHP). Presenters discussed generating electricity and heat for heating and refrigeration. Attendees learned how the use of biomass in CHP systems can help reduce energy costs, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and create local and regional jobs through markets for forest, woody, and other biomass fuels sources.

The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, the Delaware Energy Office, USDA – Rural Development, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service, and First State RC&D co-sponsored two Energy Workshops in Delaware in February and March 2006. These workshops provided information to agricultural producers on how to reduce production related energy expenses. Presenters provided information on available financial assistance and grants that assist producers reduce energy expenses or install innovative energy conservation practices.

First State RC&D, the Maryland RC&D Councils, the Maryland Energy Office, and USDA, NRCS co-sponsored an Energy Conservation Opportunities on the Farm conference in December 2006 in Annapolis, Maryland. Approximately 100 people attended the conference which focused on how energy (specifically electricity) is used on farms and how to identify efficiency improvements.

		The Conference was an opportunity to learn about Energy Conservation Opportunities on the Farm and what is involved in the performance of a Farm Energy Audit. This event demonstrated how partnering among private, local, state, and federal organizations can foster the sharing of ideas. The conference was an opportunity to network with key organizations that deal with energy and natural resource issues. The conference featured practical examples of energy savings on farms and included presentations by EnSave, the National Food and Energy Council, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rural Development, the Maryland Energy Administration, and the Maryland Agricultural and Resource Based Industry Development Corporation.
Steve Faust, President of EnSave, walks conference attendees through a sample energy audit

GROUP WORKCAMPS

Three hundred twenty-nine high school age young people from 12 states and more than 50 local and out of state adult volunteers participated in the second Delaware Bay Workcamp held July 24-28, 2006. The student volunteers donated 9,870 hours and performed repairs on 40 homes during their week long-visit. Five local churches provided daily snacks for the campers and St. Thomas More Academy provided housing for the event. This was a collaborative effort between the First State RC&D Council’s Emergency Home Repair Project, St. Thomas More Academy, local churches, civic organizations, and the Workcamps Foundation of Loveland, Colorado.

EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR PROJECT

This ongoing project mobilizes volunteers and community members to invest "sweat equity" to solve local problems. The project encourages clients to assist in the repair of their substandard homes. Some clients later assist with repairs on neighbors' homes or become involved in other project activities. Volunteer County Oversight Committees review and approve cases. Volunteer workers, both individuals and groups, come from within and outside the state. One group makes an annual trip from New York to work with the project. Since 1991, the First State RC&D Council's Emergency Home Repair Project has performed emergency repairs on more than 3,500 substandard homes owned by very low income residents in Delaware. During the RC&D Council's 2006 fiscal year, project volunteers donated approximately 20,000 hours completing repairs on 275 homes in Kent, Sussex, and New Castle Counties, Delaware. Fifty percent of the homes repaired were minority-owned and sixty-five percent of the homes were owned by elderly or disabled individuals. The RC&D Council works with other nonprofit organizations, professional and fraternal organizations, banks and local businesses, churches, state agencies, government employees, and others in the community.
		Emergency Home Repair Project volunteers check the height of a wheelchair ramp

The project has received national recognition from USA Weekend Magazine, the Paul Newman Foundation, and the Points of Light Foundation for Make-A-Difference Day activities. It has also received recognition from the Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Earth Team for the project’s commitment to volunteers.

Did you know that in Delaware there are more than 5,500 occupied substandard homes needing substantial repairs costing $30,000 or more and 12,000 occupied substandard homes needing moderate repairs costing $10,000 - $30,000? (Source: Legg Mason Realty Group, Inc.)

DRY FIRE HYDRANT PROJECT

The First State RC&D Council was instrumental in the installation of Delaware’s dry fire hydrant system. Since 2002, the Council has provided funding for the maintenance and repair of existing dry fire hydrants. Most recently, the Council provided funding for repairing several hydrants for the Townsend Fire Company. The hydrants were damaged during storms or were damaged or removed during bridge construction or repair. While funding for the dry hydrant project is limited, it remains a priority for the Council. The Council continues to seek funding for the maintenance phase of the project. This allows volunteer fire departments to use their limited resources for other needed equipment, supplies, and training.
		Harrington Fire Company Engine 50-2 tests a dry hydrant

FIRST STATE RC&D FUNDS WILDLIFE STUDY

Delaware State University, the First State Resource Conservation & Development Council, the Kent Conservation District, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service signed a project plan to study bats and bat habitat at the Smyrna Agriculture Outreach and Research Center. The First State RC&D Council provided $30,000 to fund the study. The Kent Conservation District and NRCS are providing technical assistance with conservation aspects of the study. According to Dr. Kevina Vulinec, Study Leader, “Bats have an undeserved bad reputation. A single bat may eat its own body weight in insects in a night. Delaware's bats feed almost exclusively on night-flying insects, including mosquitoes. They provide natural insect control and can reduce our reliance on chemical pesticides and insecticides.” Bat habitat in Delaware has suffered due to development and urban and suburban sprawl. The study objectives are to determine which bat species are present; where these species forage and roost; prey abundance; and enhance habitat for bats.
		Seated - Dr. Kevina Vulinec, Delaware State University. Standing left to right - Dr. Kenneth Bell, Delaware State University; Jon Hall, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Gary Smith, First State Resource Conservation & Development Council; and Terry Pepper, Kent Conservation District

Did you know the Delaware Bay region is home to the largest population of the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) which is found along the western shores of the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to the Yucatan. Blood from horseshoe crabs is used in the manufacture of Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL), the worldwide standard for testing virtually all pharmaceuticals for the presence of endotoxins.

KENT COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION

The RC&D Council continued its longstanding relationship with Kent County Parks and Recreation. The RC&D Council is assisting with the design of three full-size baseball fields on the northern portion of the Big Oak Park.

This area of the park was significantly disturbed by the former property owners and also by highway contractors during the construction of State Route 1. Topsoil was removed from the site most likely during the highway construction. Using material from the construction of a farm pond on Delaware State University’s Smyrna Agriculture Outreach and Research Center, Kent County Parks restored the area to its original topography and re-established woody riparian vegetation.

COUNCIL MEMBER RECEIVES GOVERNOR’S URBAN CONSERVATION AWARD

First State RC&D Council member and conservationist Carl Solberg received the Governor’s 2007 Urban Conservation Award. Mr. Solberg’s property is in the Marydel area near the intersection of Tappahannak Trail and Mahan Corner Road in the Chesapeake Bay drainage basin. Mr. Solberg completed a unique stream and wetland restoration project in a cooperative effort with the Division of Soil & Water Conservation’s Ecological Restoration Program and the Kent Conservation District. With the goals of providing diverse habitat, improving water quality and increasing total wetland acreage, the project involved 1,700 feet of stream restoration of what was previously a prong of the Marydel Tax Ditch. Work included elevating the ditch bottom, installing three water-control structures including one created to replicate a beaver dam, and creating two acres of floodplain wetlands adjacent to the original channel. The entire tax ditch right-of-way has been eliminated and portions of the tax ditch maintenance accessway have been restored to wetlands making the unique in this area.
		Council member and conservationist Carl Solberg

The restoration of these wetlands includes the excavation of the right-of-way and creating macrotopography, adding organic matter, and planting native plants. A portion of the excavated material from these restored wetlands will be placed in the ditch to create a more diverse hummock system within the downstream portion of the ditch. It should also be noted that Mr. Solberg purchased additional lands along the tax ditch so the project could be completed.

Did you know total land in farms in Delaware decreased by 49,000 acres between 1997 and 2002? (Source: 2002 Census of Agriculture)

DELMARVA CHAPTER AMERICAN MUSTANG AND BURRO ASSOCIATION

The Delmarva Chapter of the American Mustang and Burro Association (AMBA), Inc. provides education about and promotes the adoption of the wild American Mustang and Burro. In Delaware, 159 wild equine have been adopted. The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) places the value of these adoptions at $3,140,000. This estimate is based on an "average" life expectancy for the animal after adoption and includes the value of expenses such as feed, supplies, equipment, and veterinary care. The Delmarva AMBA holds an annual Regional Show that demonstrates the beauty and versatility of these animals to the public. First State RC&D has been an important factor in the activities of the Delmarva AMBA by providing financial and technical assistance. The RC&D Council has provided funding for advertising expenses and awards for the Regional Show. A Success Story about RC&D’s involvement in the adoption efforts was accepted and presented at the 2006 National Association of RC&D Council’s National Conference.
		The 3rd Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) from Fort Myer, Virginia with three mustangs from their stable

The Delmarva AMBA Chapter has conducted programs at Delaware schools, participated in parades in and out of Delaware, and is actively involved in horse shows and other public forums. The Delmarva AMBA Chapter participated in the November 2006 Equine Affaire in the Northeast in Springfield, MA that drew more than 100,000 attendees.

The Delmarva AMBA Chapter has been instrumental in expanding the adoption effort on the East Coast. The local chapter has been actively involved in supporting an AMBA Chapter in New England including assisting and attending the 2007 Vermont Horse Show. The Chapter also helped establish an AMBA Chapter in Virginia.

America’s Mustang and Burro, termed "Living Legends" by the BLM, are worthy of preservation.


Did you know there are 31,000 wild horses and burros roaming BLM-managed lands in 10 Western states? (Source: Bureau of Land Management)


CONSERVATION EDUCATION

The Council continued its long standing support of the Delaware Envirothon. The Envirothon is a competition in which teams of high school students demonstrate their knowledge of environmental science and natural resource management. It is an effective educational tool that supplements environmental education inside and outside the classroom. The RC&D Council continued working with local schools to develop outdoor classrooms and conservation education programs. The most recent projects involved cooperative efforts with John R. Downes Elementary School in Newark, Milford High School, and North Dover Elementary School.
		Students from the A. I. DuPont High School Envirothon team

PHRAGMITES CONTROL PROJECT

First State RC&D, NRCS, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, and the Kent Conservation District formed a partnership to facilitate treatment and control of a non-native variety of Phragmites. More than 500 acres of Phragmites infested undeveloped wetlands, ponds, and impoundments were treated during 2007.

CITY OF DOVER WOODBROOK PARK STORMWATER POND

The First State RC&D Council and the City of Dover are cooperating on a joint project to improve water quality and water management in the Woodbrook Park Stormwater Pond area of Dover. The project will also improve the aesthetic quality of the area and promote the benefits of small open space recreation in a suburban development.

The Woodbrook Park open space area is a one acre passive recreation park. In addition, 150± acres drain into the Woodbrook stormwater management pond. The drainage area consists of mostly suburban residential and commercial property. There is an area of open land that will be developed during the next several years. The additional residential and commercial development will increase runoff, erosion, and water quality concerns for the pond. This project addresses the Park area specifically and also includes recommendations and possible action items for the pond’s watershed area.

The work to be accomplished at the Woodbrook Park Stormwater Pond includes application of aquatic herbicides and algaecides to control and eliminate algae, pond weeds, and invasive vegetation; vegetative plantings; establishing a riparian buffer adjacent to the pond perimeter; and embankment stabilization using 320± feet of biologs and vegetative plantings.


FUNDING

Funding for the First State RC&D Council comes from various sources: sponsors' annual dues; grants from state, local, and federal government agencies; donations and grants from private foundations; and individual and business donations and contributions. The Board conducts an annual audit and files an IRS Form 990 as required by law. Copies of the latest Form 990 are available upon request. (A fee to cover printing may apply.)

RC&D COUNCIL STAFF
Christine Stillson – Housing Programs Director
Kelley Steed – Field Coordinator I
Angel Watson – Office Manager
Les Lockerman – Construction Coordinator/Worksite Supervisor

USDA, NRCS RC&D PROGRAM SUPPORT
William A. Bell – RC&D Coordinator


FRIENDS OF FIRST STATE RC&D

We remember Albert D. “Al” Goldhammer of Dover who passed away on April 17, 2007 at the age of 80.

After graduating from high school, Al joined the De La Salle Christian Brothers. He received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Catholic University and a master's degree in religious education from La Salle University. Al retired after careers as an educator and advertising representative for the Delaware State News.

During his retirement, Al donated much of his free time as a volunteer with several local organizations. He was a founding member of the board of directors of The Shepherd Place and a certified volunteer with Delaware Hospice.

Most of us knew Al through his tireless efforts with the RC&D Emergency Home Repair Project. Al donated hundreds of hours to the Emergency Home Repair Project and often provided his guidance and counsel on issues and challenges facing the Project. Al was nominated by the First State RC&D Council and selected as one of the Delaware Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer and recognized by then Gov. Thomas R. Carper.

We will all miss Al.


The First State RC&D Council, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Delaware corporation serving the residents of Delaware.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, the First State RC&D Council, Inc. is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

The First State RC&D Council, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.