Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve

The Delaware Reserve consists of two components-one on the Blackbird Creek and the other on the St. Jones River. The Blackbird Creek component is dominated by freshwater wetlands, ponds, and forested habitats. The St. Jones component is dominated by saltmarshes and open water habitats of the Delaware Bay. Both components are surrounded by farmlands, meadows, and impending development pressures affording the reserve to examine the controbution and control of non point source pollution into the marsh and bay ecosystems.Key species of the Delaware Reserve include the horseshoe crab, migratory shorebirds, snowy egret, great blue heron, bald eagle, black duck, blue crab, fiddler crab, and American oyster.

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) offices are located at the St. Jones Component, along the St. Jones River, six miles southeast of Dover. The Blackbird Creek Component is located in southern New Castle County along the Blackbird Creek.