Multiple Wetlands Restored on the Blackbird Creek With Delaware Costal Program Funds

During the fall of 2004, Ducks Unlimited and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources will restore four wetland projects near Staves Landing on the Blackbird Creek.  All four projects will be placed in low-lying farmland that is difficult to till during wet spring months.  Funds for the restoration will be provided through a grant from the Division of Soil and Water's coastal program.

Each project will restore several acres of highly productive "moist soil" wetlands.  These areas will have water control structures to give the landowner the flexibility to drawdown the wetlands to promote moist soil vegetation growth necessary for agricultural weeds such as Smartweed, Foxtail, Barnyard grass, Nut sedge and Fall Panicum, which are present in these farmed areas now; they are kept at bay by the use of herbicides.  Once the wetlands are restored and the herbicide is no longer applied, these seeds producing weeds will flourish and provide top quality duck forage.