Alapocas Run and Wilmington State Parks

Volunteer Highlight!!!!

While working on their Animal Habitats badge, Girl Scout Troop 1185 researched food sources for animals and started to learn about how native plants are food sources for animals and invasive species are crowding them out. Their troop leader reached out to the park and asked if there was an area the troop could remove invasives and plant natives.

On a cold, wet March they meet park staff at Rockford Park to tackle the task of removing invasive plants growing both on and around Forgotten Pavilion, a structure with a brick patio and tall trees. The girls along with their adults, started meeting regularly to remove invasives like: Lesser celandine, English ivy, multiflora rose, daffodils and privet. Loose bricks were removed and the beds around the pavilion raked and cleared, while preserving leaf mulch as much as possible. The Troop removed more than a dozen large yard waste bags and three bags of litter, along with accumulating the huge piles of plant debris.

Working with John Chaney, a park maintenance staff member with native plant knowledge, the troop selected native plants appropriate for the site. They held a lemonade stand to supplement their cookie money to purchase native plants for the site. In addition, they also received in-kind donations and advice from New Moon Nursery, Josie's Native Plants, Watercrest Farms, and Backyard Wildlife Native Plants.

The troop has said one of the best parts of this work was meeting the community members who shared stories about how the pavilion has changed over the years and how they appreciated seeing young girls out "making the world a better place”. Another bonus was that the girls got to pet many friendly dogs while educating their owners about their work with hopes of inspiring them to plant natives in their yard.

Alapocas Run and Wilmington State Parks greatly appreciates Troop 1185's dedicated assistance in the stewardship of our parklands.

Monarch butterflies are a vital ecological component that serves as a food source to local wildlife, pollinates native wildflowers, and supports overall biodiversity. Every year, these butterflies lay their eggs in native milkweed populations. Tracking when this occurs and the survivability of their larvae is crucial to monitoring and learning more about this important species.

We are looking for dedicated volunteers willing to donate their time to monitor the successful hatch and development of the local monarch butterfly population here in Wilmington. Volunteers will visit our milkweed bed once a week and record any monarch egg, larvae, or adult visible on the plants. Materials will be provided. This project runs from June through October.

Volunteer orientation will be held June 8th at 4:30pm at Brandywine Park. No experience is needed and all are welcome! If you would like more information on this project, visit http://mlmp.org. If are interested in joining this project, contact Nancy Kersey, Manager of Volunteers, at [email protected].

Brandywine Park, part of Wilmington State Parks, is home to monuments that honor those who have given their lives for their country.

The Churchman Memorial is located next to the Washington Street Bridge across the street from Sugar Bowl in Brandywine Park. It honors Lieutenant Clarke Churchman, the only Delawarean killed in the Spanish-American War. He and his classmates graduated early from West Point due the battleship Main blowing up in Havana Harbor and the need for commissioned officers. A few months later, he was shot and killed in battle at San Juan Hill.

The monument is a series of three fountains The uppermost fountain has been reconfigured to hold a modern drinking fountain, the second fountain is a large trough and the third is a small dog dish located at the front of the memorial. It was erected by The Blue Hen's Chickens Society, whom Clarke’s mother Elizabeth was a member of. The Wilmington Fountain Society took ownership and maintained the fountain after its unveiling.

Humans aren't the only ones climbing our rock wall! While performing some maintenance on the wall, staff discovered this snapping turtle amongst the vegetation (see circled spot). The turtle was carefully relocated to a more suitable spot along Alapocas Run.

On June 18, 1-4 pm at the Can-Do Playground, Alapocas Run State Park, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety is partnering with the Delaware Natural Resources to host a free car seat check. No appointment is needed

The Rockford Tower will be open during the Wilmington Flower Market, this Thursday-Saturday, 10 am -7 pm. It is free to enter the tower, however the market does charge a parking fee.

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” – Leo Tolstoy

For this months chronolog spotlight, we are highlighting the Habitat Hill station, located near the swinging bridge in Brandywine Park. This station, and the others around Alapocas Run and Wilmington State Parks, are part of a community-based science project to evaluate how an area changes over time. This station is documenting a restoration project by the Friends of Wilmington Parks volunteers that has been ongoing since 2015. The volunteers are removing invasive plants in the area and adding native plants, such as witch hazel and milkweed.

The images featured in this post highlight how the area transitions from winter to spring. Besides demonstrating seasonal changes, they also highlight the annual growth of the preexisting and newly installed plants.

If you wish to contribute to this ongoing project, you can find our stations at the Alapocas Woods bridge, and by the swinging bridge in Habitat Hill. All you need to do is slide your phone into our holder and snap a photo! Directions on the stand will help you to submit your photo.

See you next month!

Images in order:

March 8, 2024 and May, 4 2024
February 8, 2025 and May 3, 2025
February 4, 2026 and April 19, 2026

Behind the Scenes at Alapocas Run and Wilmington State Parks:

Need a park pass or have a question about the park? The administrative staff at the Blue Ball Barn is here to help. This winter the administrative and maintenance team worked together to renovate the Blue Ball Barn office to make it more accessible and customer friendly along with meeting the needs of the staff.