A Year of Conservation Results

Rich in tradition, biodiversity and natural beauty, Delaware’s Bayshore region is facing an existential threat from sea level rise and intensifying climate impacts. As the U.S. state with the lowest mean elevation, Delaware is experiencing some of the highest rates of subsidence—the sinking of the land surface—along the Atlantic Coast. Forecasts predict up to 23 inches of sea level rise by 2050, threatening homes, infrastructure, farmland and iconic coastal habitats.

We know that the time is now to act on TNC’s three critical priorities: protecting ocean, land and freshwater; providing food and water sustainably; and tackling climate change.

In Delaware, we are uniquely positioned to meet this moment. Take for example the Delaware Bayshore Coastal Resilience Roadmap, a science-based framework built with community input and guided by our Conservation by Design principles.

COAs prioritize the protection of rare habitats—such as maritime forests, beaches, dunes and peat swamps—regardless of size. They also include more common target habitats like salt marshes, swamps, hardwood forests, tidal creeks and headwaters, tidal rivers and warm, low-gradient streams when found in patches larger than 100 acres.

Working with partners in the Delaware Land Protection Coalition, TNC is using this report to advocate for a long-term conservation vision across the state in collaboration with state agencies, local governments and other partners.

2025 marked the second year of the Delmarva Seasonal Burn Crew, funded by a USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant. Led by TNC’s stewardship team, the crew completed 11 burns across 331 acres in Delaware and 17 burns covering 1,748 acres in Maryland.

“It feels rewarding to know we’re making a difference and that our fire crew is helping to build the capacity needed to get more good fire on the ground,” says Natasha Whetzel, Delaware stewardship program manager at TNC.

Creating a Resilient Future for Coastal Communities and Habitats

Working with our broad network of partners, TNC developed the Coastal Resilience Roadmap to guide a healthy future for the Delaware Bayshore. Funded by The Longwood Foundation, the framework was built with stakeholder feedback and science-based conservation principles. The Roadmap outlines a series of recommendations and resilience strategies for coastal communities. Through innovative collaboration and forward-thinking policies, we can advance climate-friendly initiatives, conserve farmland, preserve habitat for iconic species like the horseshoe crab and the migratory red knot, and ultimately support the livelihoods of all those who call this region home.

Chesapeake Bay Named Global Regenerative Foodscape

Though the waters of the Chesapeake Bay only border Maryland and Virginia, its reach and significance extend much further, including into Delaware’s agricultural communities. The Bay is North America’s largest estuary and a major economic driver for food production, shipping and tourism. Its watershed is home to 18 million people and encompasses around 64,000 square miles across six states and the District of Columbia, including one-third of the state of Delaware. This watershed is a patchwork of farms, forests, cities and wetlands, all of which have a major impact on the many communities and more than 3,600 species of plants and animals that rely on a healthy Chesapeake Bay.

This is why TNC recently designated the Bay as a priority for its Global Regenerative Foodscape strategy, which will provide the more than 50 staff who work on the Chesapeake Bay program, including our staff in Delaware, with greater access to coalition building, coordinated planning, market development, supply chain actions and public policy support. TNC is ready to accelerate the critical work of securing cleaner water and healthy habitats for the benefit of all within the Bay watershed.