Sussex Conservation District

09/24/2026

📢 Calling all Cover Crop Participants 📢

The early cover crop planting deadline is quickly approaching!

Don't forget, we're offering a $5 per acre incentive payment for all aerial application.

📅 Planting Deadline: Oct. 1
📋 Self-Certification Deadline: Oct. 7

For questions, contact the Sussex Conservation District at 302-856-3990, ext. 3.

09/22/2026

Did you know that more than 70% of Delawareans rely on groundwater for their drinking water? 💧

If your farm is located within a Source Water Protection Area (SWPA), you may be eligible for up to 90% cost-share on conservation practices that protect groundwater while improving your operation!

Eligible practices include:
🌱 Cover Crops
🚜 Residue & Tillage Management
🌾 Nutrient Management
🌲 Riparian Forest Buffer.. and many more!

Want to see if your farm qualifies? Check out our website or talk to a Conservation Planner today.
🖥️ https://www.sussexconservation.org/resources/swpa
📞 (302) 856-3990, ext. 3

09/16/2026

Our Stormwater Program has been busy this week!

Over the weekend, SCD was invited to participate in the first annual Bays to Backyards Community Summit, hosted by the DE Center for the Inland Bays. Jessica Watson, Director of SCD’s Sediment and Stormwater Management Program, delivered a “lightning talk” focusing on nature-based stormwater BMPs. This summit provided a valuable opportunity for HOA leaders, residents and conservation partners to collaborate, share success stories and gain fresh ideas for taking sustainable actions to their own communities.

Today, we also kicked off our first 2026 Stormwater Seminar Series session with UD Cooperative Extension and welcomed a record-breaking turnout! Attendees joined us to learn from the following presentations:
💧 Stormwater 101: Led by Jess Watson, Sussex Conservation District
🦋Dragonfly Pond Works – Your Partner in Stormwater Management: Led by Jackie Toggart, Sarah Sipe, and Andrew Kasydar, Dragonfly Pond Works
🌱 Native by Design: Led by Ashley Game, Advanced Ecology LLC

A big thank you to all of our speakers and attendees for making the first session a success!
Our last two sessions are still open for registration! Learn more and register at: https://www.sussexconservation.org/events

09/11/2026

Come check us out! 💧
Registration for seminars: https://www.sussexconservation.org/events

The Sussex Conservation District (SCD), in partnership with the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension (UDCE), announced this week the return of its Stormwater Seminar Series, designed to promote clean water

09/10/2026

Calling all student artists! 🎨

The Sussex Conservation District is excited to announce the 2026 Conservation Poster Contest! This contest is a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their creativity while learning about the importance of conservation and natural resources.

Students in grades K–12 — public, private, or home-schooled — are invited to showcase their creativity in this year’s theme:
“Soil. Where it all Begins”

Students may enter in the following grade categories:

🖍️ Hand-Drawn: K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12
🖥️ Digital: 7-9, and 10-12

💵 Prizes:
1st – $50 | 2nd – $25 | 3rd – $15
Winners advance to the state and national levels!

Submit your poster electronically, by mail, or in person to your local conservation district by Friday, Oct. 23.
📍Details and rules: https://www.sussexconservation.org/resources/postercontest

09/08/2026

Thank you to the Sussex Tech FFA officers for stopping in and visiting with us! We enjoyed meeting with you and learning about your goals for the Chapter. We truly appreciate your beautiful home-grown blossoms and look forward to future collaborations! 🌸

09/08/2026

Come check us out at the Community Resource Fair, at the American Legion Post in Millsboro. Learn about the different state agencies and services in your area!

We’re here from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Thank you to State Reps. Hilovsky & Jones-Glinter and Sens. Hocker & Pettyjohn for inviting us!

09/04/2026

Join us for our fourth annual native tree giveaway! 🌳

🗓️Saturday, Oct. 17
⏰9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (gates open at 8:45)
📍Vanderwende-Evans Conservation Center

There will be 500 native trees available, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of one tree per person. There will be 12 varieties to choose from:

🟢 American Holly
🟢 Eastern Redbud
🟢 Eastern White Pine
🟢 Paw Paw
🟢 Persimmon
🟢 Red Cedar
🟢 Red Maple
🟢 River Birch
🟢 Serviceberry
🟢 Sweetbay Magnolia
🟢 White Dogwood
🟢 White Oak

For additional event details, including the traffic flow plan, visit www.sussexconservation.org/events or contact Jackie Waller at 302-856-2105, ext. 122. See less

08/24/2026

Last week, we hosted our Soil Health Field Day! 🌱

We appreciate the farmers, conservation partners, and community members who came out on August 18 to learn, share ideas, and explore new ways to build healthier and more resilient soils.

We’d also like to extend a special thank you to our incredible speakers and panelists for sharing their knowledge and experiences. From high-resolution grid technology for cover crops, to regenerative soil health practices, and NRCS program updates, we covered a lot of “valuable ground!”
For more information on the new Regenerative Pilot Program click: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/regenerative-pilot-program

We’re grateful for everyone who helped make this event possible and hope to see more at our next soil health event!