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Community Engagement

Brandywine River Restoration Trust

Overview

Collaboratively, and in support of our mission to restore the Brandywine River, we strive to support and empower Brandywine area communities through engagement, equitable opportunities, paid internships, education, outreach projects, and by providing a cleaner and safer Brandywine River.

Our community engagement and outreach program is designed to promote a lifelong relationship between area residents, Delaware’s outdoors, and the Brandywine River, with a special focus on children and underserved communities.

Goals & Objectives

  1. Improve equitable access to the river for recreation and educational use
  2. Involve area residents in research and conservation as stakeholders who contribute to local conservation management plans
  3. Provide children and families in underserved communities with equitable opportunities
  4. Increase knowledge and awareness of the importance of river health and ecosystem balance by eliminating and modifying fish barriers
  5. Work collaboratively with residents as stakeholders who contribute to local conservation management plans

Community Outreach Programs

Kids Fish the Brandywine
  • A pilot program that offers a free fishing camp to children and their families during the summer of 2023. We have partnered with the Boys and Girls Club.
  • Includes a lesson plan, environmentally friendly arts and crafts, and inspirational guest speakers who work or advocate in environmental areas.
  • Children and families will learn about our watershed, the ecosystem, environmental stewardship, conservation, preservation, and about a Brandywine River native, the American Shad.
Citizen Water Monitoring
  • Due to storm water runoff, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and other pollutants, high levels of bacteria, viruses and parasites; recreational use involving water contact, such as fishing, boating, tubing, wading, and swimming may put area residents and visitors at risk.
  • Paid internship opportunities in this environmental sector may be available to our underserved communities through this project. Internships would provide valuable personal and professional experience, temporary cash flow, and may lead to new career pathways.
  • Residents will have the opportunity to research and collaborate as stakeholders.
BRRT Field Trips
  • These trips extend our legislative tours of dams to schools. Children will see and learn about a dam and the Brandywine River, followed by a picnic in the park.
  • Has merged public school field trip interest with the Shad Education Workgroup, which consists of a few of Delaware’s leading environmental organizations. We are offering field trips outside of the workgroup to an interested private school establishment.
Shad in Schools
  • Age-appropriate lessons for children on the American Shad and the Brandywine River.
  • Our team worked with area schools on a program enabling children to raise Shad in the classroom. Currently, we are working with a Delaware hatchery and aim to implement the program during the 2023-2024 school year.
  • Has merged interest with the Shad Education Workgroup, which consists of a few of Delaware’s leading environmental organizations.
ShadFest & ShadRun 5k
  • ShadFest is a free family-friendly celebration of the Brandywine River and the return of the American Shad at Brandywine Park.
  • The third annual festival is scheduled for May 20, 2023.
  • Will include a wide variety of fun and educational activities for children from twenty of Delaware’s leading environmental organizations, including the Delaware Nature Society, The Nature Conservancy and the Brandywine Zoo. The festival also offers live music, food trucks, sustainable arts and crafts vendors and a 5K ShadRun.
  • We are again planning to offer free fishing lessons to children and hope to extend the lessons to experienced fishermen.
  • We are working on a Shad-themed art contest tying together sustainability and art. Aquatic art pieces representing the Brandywine River and Shad run will be displayed and voted on during ShadFest.

     

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