What is the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve?
The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) is one of 27 National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs) across the country dedicated to research, education, and stewardship of estuaries – places where fresh and salt water meet and mix. Each of the NERR sites is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a state entity. The DNERR’s state partner is DNREC’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation. The DNERR is comprised of two sites: the St. Jones Reserve, located six miles south of Dover on Kitts Hummock Road. The other is the Blackbird Creek Reserve, which is east of Townsend along Blackbird Landing Road. The St. Jones facilities house the DNERR offices, classroom space, conference rooms, laboratories, and exhibits. A one-mile trail, with ¼ mile boardwalk over the salt marsh, connects the St. Jones with the adjacent Ted Harvey Wildlife Area. The Blackbird Creek Reserve boasts several miles of trails through uplands and along the mars
