Outdoor Delaware online magazine wins national award

Outdoor Delaware online magazine, produced by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, received a first-place award in the National Federation of Press Women competition during its annual ceremony June 11.

Outdoor Delaware had been in publication since 1956, but when print subscriptions reached an all-time low, it was time to find another way to educate the public about the state’s natural resources. DNREC’s public affairs team transitioned Outdoor Delaware from a print publication to an online magazine in 2020. Hosted on the DNREC website at de.gov/OutdoorDelaware, the new Outdoor Delaware online magazine is a lively guide to nature, conservation and fun.

“This award marks a significant achievement,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “It recognizes the success of the new format and is a credit to the many DNREC colleagues who contribute engaging content to the online magazine. We are pleased our online magazine has been acknowledged for excellence by the National Federation of Press Women.”

Readers are able to meet lemurs and radiated tortoises, watch a ship sink to become part of an artificial reef, learn about electric vehicles, explore underwater jellyfish, find out where recycling ends up, and so much more. Every month, DNREC adds new posts with photos and videos, each authored by a DNREC employee, showcasing the department’s talented crew of engineers, scientists and other experts.

“Thanks to the transition from print to digital, we’re able to reach more people about Delaware’s natural resources and the many ways DNREC works to protect, preserve and enhance them,” said Nikki Lavoie, DNREC chief communications officer.

Earlier this year, Outdoor Delaware online magazine won a first-place award in the blog category from the NFPW- affiliated Delaware Press Association.