Keep Off the Dunes sign contest winners announced

The results are in for DNREC’s Keep Off the Dunes sign contest, which invited the public to submit eye-catching and effective original artwork and messages to remind beachgoers of the importance of protecting Delaware’s vibrant but fragile dune system. The contest was sponsored by the Shoreline & Waterway Management Section.

Winners were selected in three categories by Shoreline & Waterway Management staff from among 36 entries.

In the adult category, first place went to The Chesapeake Mermaid, Angela R. Mitchell, Chesapeake Beach, Md. Second place went to Jane Mruk of Odessa, and third place was claimed by Gregory Young of Wilmington.

For teens, Amanda Silar won first place, Ally Collier earned second, and Nadjina Bogle won third. All three are Sussex Technical High School students.

In the kids’ entries, Lily Reed of Felton won first place. Ava Shilling and Sydney P. of Heerford, Md., finished second and third, respectively, for signs they made at the Water Family Fest, held in June at the James Farm Preserve in Ocean View.

Delaware’s Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay coastal dunes are vital in the state’s defense against coastal storms and extreme weather events. Dunes are also important natural habitats for plants and animals. To keep dunes strong enough to help protect the environment and the ecosystems they support, Delawareans need to protect the dunes by staying off them. DNREC emphasizes this message by posting beach signs to encourage beachgoers to use marked crossovers along the dune system to avoid damaging the dunes. 

To see the winners of the Keep Off the Dunes sign contest, go to https://de.gov/dunesign. Winners will be announced and their entries displayed at University of Delaware’s Coast Day Oct. 6. The winning artwork in the contest may be reproduced as signs and placed near dunes along Delaware’s coastline.