Meeting to address land use, flooding and reforestation

The public is invited to join a Citizens Café meeting hosted by the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays Citizens Advisory Committee at 6 p.m., Thursday, April 28, to learn about the connection between land-use practices, flooding and reforestation.

The hybrid meeting will be held in person at the center’s office at 39375 Inlet Road, Rehoboth Beach, with a virtual option via Zoom. Preregistration is required. To sign up, go to bit.ly/CACcafe.

Population growth across the Inland Bays watershed is on the rise, driving increased development. From 1992 to 2012 alone, the watershed has seen developed lands increase by 34 square miles, with a 14-square-mile reduction in upland forests. More impervious cover leads to increased stormwater runoff problems, flooding and erosion.

Responsible land-use practices and environmental restoration efforts are key to protecting the health of the bays, and the communities and wildlife that depend on them.

Guest speaker Danielle Swallow, a coastal hazards specialist for Delaware Sea Grant, will discuss how decisions about where to build and how to design local communities directly influence resilience to weather and climate hazards.

“Nature is our best defense against storms, erosion and flooding. Nature-based green infrastructure is a form of capital that we need to maintain and grow,” said Swallow.

CIB Science and Restoration Coordinator Dr. Marianne Walch will join the conversation to present recent data on land use and natural habitat changes occurring in the Inland Bays watershed. She will also provide information about center restoration projects that address issues of coastal resiliency and habitat loss.

To learn more, go to inlandbays.org/citizens-advisor.