Delaware Botanic Gardens hosts Bugs & Beer event
Delaware Botanic Gardens opened its gates for the Bugs & Beer Lecture by Todd Fritchman at the Dogfish Head Learning Garden May 17. With 75 visitors and DBG volunteers participating, it was a clear success.
Delaware Botanic Gardens President Ray Sander said, “This event kicks off our 2019 educational program at DBG. It happened because of the strong support and collaboration between Dogfish Head, who is our lead naming rights supporter, and Envirotech, who created the wetlands outdoor classroom. They are our educational mission support team.”
Mariah Calagione, co-owner of Dogfish Head, said, “We are proud to be partners with DBG, and it’s exciting to see the wetlands outdoor classroom in action with a wonderful teacher like Todd.”
Fritchman, owner of Envirotech, said, “The constructed wetland has provided a habitat for the growth and development of frogs, toads and multitudes of macro invertebrates such as damselflies, dragonflies, crustaceans such as crayfish, insect pollinators and much more. This class allowed us to understand the biological diversity of this living outdoor classroom, and to best understand the ecological significance of the wetland and the biota it supports.”
The class was not just a lecture, he explained. It was a hands-on experience with participants taking water samples and observing the creatures living in the wetlands. Pat Long from Millville said, “I liked the tadpoles swimming in the water.”
“It was clear that inquiry-based learning works, and profound interest was generated as the participants literally got wet and into the experience. Their questions began to flow,” said Frichtman.
After class, the visitors took a leisurely stroll through the gardens. Alison Skeel of Kensington, Md., said, “The gardens are fantastic, and I can’t wait to come back.”
Sheryl Swed, DBG executive director, said, “We wish to thank Carol McCloud, DBG volunteer coordinator, and all the volunteers who worked so hard to get the gardens ready for this event, including planting 1,500 blueberry bushes this past week. Thank you all.”
For more information, go to www.delawaregardens.org.
The mission of the Delaware Botanic Gardens is to create an inspirational, educational, and sustainable public garden in Delaware for the benefit and enjoyment of all. The Delaware Botanic Gardens celebrates the coastal plain with a sustainable garden that delights and educates visitors and inspires them to preserve Delmarva’s native landscape.
