Center for the Inland Bays volunteers help reforestation effort
In late March, volunteers teamed up with the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays and Sussex County to reforest a former agricultural site in Selbyville.
The 6.5-acre Sussex County-owned site on Lighthouse Road in Selbyville now supports 7,425 tree seedlings. Of those, 2,245 trees were planted with the help of center volunteers.
The species planted included black locust, hackberry, persimmon, and several varieties of native oak and pine trees. Using tree tubes, 2,850 of the oaks have been protected from browsing deer.
As they grow, the trees will reduce nutrient pollution by slowing and absorbing stormwater runoff from surrounding developed and agricultural lands. The trees will utilize excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil for growth, preventing them from reaching groundwater and eventually the Inland Bays.
Nutrient pollution poses a serious threat to water quality in the Inland Bays. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus from sources such as fertilizer and septic systems cause excessive algal growth. These algae blooms lead to low oxygen levels that can create dead zones in the water where aquatic life cannot survive.
“Nutrient pollution and natural habitat loss are the two most critical issues affecting the health of the Inland Bays,” said Dr. Marianne Walch, CIB science and restoration coordinator. “Sussex County has been an amazing partner with the center on this and other environmental restoration projects that simultaneously address both issues. We really appreciate the county’s commitment to improving the health of the Inland Bays and their watershed.”
It is estimated that the Lighthouse Road site reforestation will result in an annual reduction in the inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to Little Assawoman Bay of 110.5 pounds and 2.6 pounds, respectively. Over the next 20 years, the newly planted trees will also absorb and store an estimated 12,868,597 pounds of atmospheric carbon dioxide, thereby helping to mitigate climate change.
In addition to the benefits in nutrient reduction, reforestation of the site will also benefit native wildlife by providing an estimated four acres of critical interior forested habitat.
