Volunteers needed for native planting event May 11

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays announced a collaborative effort with the Georgetown Public Library to host a volunteer planting event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, May 11, at the Stockley Cente, 21327 Coverdale Circle, Georgetown.

Funded by an Environmental Protection Agency 319 grant, and in partnership with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, this initiative aims to create vegetated filter strips utilizing hundreds of native flowers.

Vegetated filter strips are planted areas along waterways or near storm drains designed to capture and filter pollutants from surface runoff before they reach the water. By incorporating a diverse range of native plant species, these strips remove excess nutrients and sediment from runoff, and provide crucial habitat and food sources for pollinators.

Volunteers are encouraged to join a fun and fulfilling day of community service and make a positive impact on the environment. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather and conditions, and bring water, a hand trowel and gardening gloves, if they already have them. Spanish speakers will be on-site during the event to help with translation needs.

To register as a volunteer for the planting, go to tinyurl.com/Stockley-Planting or inlandbays.org.

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays is a nonprofit organization established in 1994 and is one of 28 National Estuary Programs. With its many partners, the center works to preserve, protect, and restore Delaware’s Inland Bays and their watershed.