Delaware Forest Service
Share
Since 1927, the Delaware Forest Service has been conserving, protecting, and enhancing our forests.
🍂 HELLO, OCTOBER! 🍂
Cooler mornings, changing leaves and crisp fall days are here; but don’t let the cooler temperatures fool you. 🔥🌲
Delaware’s statewide burn ban has officially been lifted, but that does not mean the risk of wildfire has disappeared.
Dry leaves, pine needles and other vegetation can ignite quickly and allow fire to spread, especially during periods of low humidity and windy conditions.
As we head into Fire Prevention Month, the Delaware Forest Service reminds everyone to stay cautious with outdoor burning and always check conditions before you burn.
🔥 Never leave a fire unattended.
💨 Avoid burning on dry or windy days.
💧 Keep water and tools nearby.
🍂 Remember; fallen leaves and dry vegetation can become fuel for wildfire.
October is one of the most beautiful times to enjoy Delaware’s forests. Let’s work together to keep them safe. 🌲🍁
Conserve • Protect • Enhance
09/29/2026
🍂🌲 September, you’ve been good to us!
As September comes to an end, Delaware’s forests are beginning to look a little different.
The days are getting shorter. The mornings are getting cooler. And hints of fall are starting to appear in the trees. 🍁
October will bring even more changes to our forests, and we’ll be taking you along for the season!
Keep an eye on our page for:
🍁 Fall color updates from our foresters
🌲 A look inside Delaware’s State Forests
🔥 Wildfire prevention tips
👻 A little Forest After Dark fun
🌳 Forestry facts and behind-the-scenes looks at what our foresters do
Before we say goodbye to September, tell us:
👇 What are you most looking forward to this fall?
09/27/2026
🔥 Once DFS, Always Part of the Wildfire Family
We may not get to see JP around the Delaware Forest Service every day anymore, but we’re proud to see him continuing to support Delaware’s wildland fire program!
Former DFS employee John “JP” Petersen recently completed a two-week assignment at the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, serving as an Intelligence Support Specialist as part of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
JP continues to represent Delaware while working alongside wildland fire professionals from across the country, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of his continued commitment to the program.
Thank you for continuing to serve and represent the First State!
09/26/2026
🌲 They say foresters walk a fine line between dedication and insanity… today may have proved it. 🌧️😂
A little stormy weather wasn’t enough to stop us!
Today, Delaware Forest Service staff joined the Delaware Forestry Association for an Atlantic white cedar tour, braving the rain and making a great day out of some less-than-perfect weather.
Days like today give forestry professionals and partners an opportunity to get out in the woods, share knowledge, and take a closer look at the management and conservation of this unique forest resource right here in Delaware.
A big thank you to the Delaware Forestry Association and Hobbie Issac for helping make today’s tour possible, and to everyone who decided a rainy day in the woods still sounded like a good idea. 🌲🌧️
After all… forestry doesn’t stop when the weather gets interesting. 😉
🌲 FOREST MANAGEMENT UPDATE | Redden & Blackbird State Forests
Visitors may notice active timber harvesting at the Rayne Tract of Redden State Forest and the White Road Tract of Blackbird State Forest.
Both of these harvests are thinnings; a forest management practice where selected trees are removed to reduce competition and give the remaining trees more access to sunlight, water, nutrients, and growing space.
🌳 Why thin a forest?
As forests grow, trees naturally begin competing for limited resources. Strategic thinning can:
• Improve the health and vigor of remaining trees
• Create space for younger trees and natural regeneration
• Improve wildlife habitat and forest diversity
• Reduce overcrowding and competition
• Support a healthier, more resilient forest over the long term
Before harvesting begins, Delaware Forest Service foresters evaluate each stand and determine which trees should remain and which should be removed based on the management goals for that particular forest.
During active operations, these areas may look different—and sometimes considerably more open, but the work is being done with the future forest in mind.
Active forest management is one of the tools our foresters use to conserve, protect, and enhance Delaware’s forests for generations to come. 🌲
09/25/2026
🪵 A harvested tree isn't the end of the story.
That tree may become lumber for a home, flooring, furniture, pallets, paper, mulch, or another useful forest product.
Meanwhile, the opening it leaves behind can provide sunlight and growing space for new trees and vegetation.
Sustainable forestry connects the forest to the products we use every day—and gives us an economic reason to keep forests managed and productive.
Conserve the resource. Protect the forest. Enhance its future.
🍂 Delaware’s fall color is beginning!
Cooler mornings and shorter days are signaling our trees that fall is on the way. As chlorophyll production slows, the yellows, oranges, reds and purples that make fall in Delaware so beautiful begin to emerge.
Our foresters are already spotting some of the season’s first subtle changes across the state. 🌳
At Blackbird State Forest, Kent County Forester Andrew Fisher spotted yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) beginning to show hints of yellow — along with some ripe pawpaw (Asimina triloba) fruit!
Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator Taryn Davidson reports that sycamores are beginning their early transition, while honey locust is starting to show yellow. Red maples are also beginning to change and will eventually give us some of the brightest colors of the season.
In Sussex County, Forester Baylor Doughty is already seeing flashes of bright red on black gum, while Forest Stewardship Coordinator Laura Upham found a crape myrtle still holding onto its late-summer blooms.
🍁 We’re just getting started! Our foresters will be watching the progression of fall color across Delaware each week.
Check back next week to see where fall color is showing up next!
09/22/2026
Delaware State Forester Kyle Hoyd recently joined forestry leaders from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the U.S. Forest Service to renew the Chesapeake Bay Shared Stewardship Agreement.
Building on the original agreement signed in 2020, this regional partnership supports science-based forestry practices on public and private lands to keep forests healthy and resilient while protecting the lands and waterways connected to the Chesapeake Bay.
“The saying, ‘work for the land and it will work for you,’ fits this agreement perfectly,” Hoyd said. “From wood products we use daily to clean water, it is our job as forestry leaders to ensure working forests remain a viable option to support our forest ecosystems.”
🌳 Approximately 30% of Delaware lies within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, making the First State an important part of this regional conservation effort.
Through partnerships like this, we’re working across boundaries to conserve, protect and enhance our forests for generations to come.
https://news.delaware.gov/2026/09/22/delaware-forest-service-joins-regional-partners-in-renewing-chesapeake-bay-shared-stewardship-agreement/
📸 After the signing of the Chesapeake Bay Shared Stewardship Agreement with the States of
Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of
Columbia. Overlooking the Anacostia River, from the deck of the Monique Johnson
Anacostia River Center. From L-R: Jason M. Hall Regional Forester, PA, Anne Hairston-Strang, MD State Forester, Earl Eutsler, D.C. State Forester, Ellen Shultzabarger, USDA Forest Service, Jeremy Jones, WV State Forester, Kyle Hoyd, DE State Forester, Terry Lasher, VA State Forester. Monique Johnson Anacostia River Center, Washington, DC. September 16, 2026. (Forest
Service photo by Dominic Cumberland)
09/22/2026
🌳 "Why would you cut a perfectly healthy tree?"
It's a question foresters hear often.
Sometimes, removing healthy trees is part of managing the forest as a whole. A harvest may reduce competition, encourage regeneration, improve species composition, create wildlife habitat, or provide room for selected trees to grow.
Foresters don't manage one tree at a time—we consider the health and future of the whole forest.
Thoughtful harvesting today can help create a healthier forest tomorrow.
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Telephone
Address
2320 S Dupont Highway
Dover, DE
19901
Opening Hours
| Monday | 8am - 4:30pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 4:30pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 4:30pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 4:30pm |
| Friday | 8am - 4:30pm |
Alerts
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Delaware Forest Service posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.