The City of Lewes is now the owner of the Fourth Street Preserve, having made settlement on the 30-acre parcel that will become the state’s first urban forest.

The transaction was made possible by a 26-month fundraising campaign led by the Greater Lewes Foundation and chaired by former Lewes Mayor Jim Ford.

They successfully raised $8 million to buy the preserve from the Rollins family, which had owned the land since 1956.

“Per the desire of the Rollins family, the City of Lewes, the Greater Lewes Foundation, the State of Delaware, foundations and most importantly our citizens, businesses and the entire community, we were able to protect and preserve 30 acres of woodlands within the city limits. We all should be extremely proud to be affiliated with such an everlasting community success. Our thanks go out to everyone involved for making the vision a reality,” Ford said.

Ford joined Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco, GLF leaders and Sen. Russ Huxtable, D- Lewes, to sign the paperwork Sept. 15, the deadline set in the purchase agreement. 

Now that the city has the keys, it can transfer a conservation easement to the state forestry division, which will hold the land as open space in perpetuity. 

Mayor and city council approved a conceptual plan, designed by landscape architect Rodney Robinson, that shows walking trails, a constructed wetland and pollinator areas, among the proposed features.

Per the agreement with the Rollins family, no structures will be built, including restrooms and parking. 

GLF will continue to raise money to support work on a master plan, which must be completed within one year. 

Ford said people will notice a gradual change to the preserve.

“We want to remove some invasive species, maybe put in some plantings. We want to do a hydrology study before we get too far along, so whatever decisions are made are made with education – small baby steps as things progress,” he said.

Ford said they are planning to have a celebration at the preserve next spring.

The city has identified the preserve as a project eligible for money from its new resiliency fund.

Mayor and city council has formed a Fourth Street Preserve subcommittee, chaired by Deputy Mayor Khalil Saliba, to guide the process.

Marasco said the preserve will serve as a model in many ways.

“I believe other communities will look at how this can be something they can have, nationwide; how can you pull something like this together without federal funds, relying on local funds for something that protects, addresses flood mitigation issues and is also a habitat for our community,” she said.

Funds to acquire the historic preserve came from a variety of public and private sources:

• $1 million from the City of Lewes

• $1 million from the Longwood Foundation

• $3.2 million from the Delaware Open Space Council

• $2.8 million from more than 1,300 individual donations by residents and businesses.

Joe Stewart, GLF board chair, called the collaboration a perfect storm.

“It was a wonderful combination of private and public working together. We had a wonderful relationship with Russ [Huxtable], with city officials, our elected council, mayor and staff, and it all just came together,” Stewart said.