Current Projects Townsend Community Habitats Over the past three years, we along with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Delaware Nature Society and Town of Townsend have worked to certify the Town of Townsend as a Community Wildlife HabitatTM. Community Wildlife HabitatsTM is a National Wildlife Federation program that recognizes a community’s conservation and stewardship efforts to create a place where people and wildlife can flourish together through habitat and water quality improvements. A Community Wildlife Habitat is a community that provides habitat for wildlife throughout the community--in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, community gardens, places of worship and businesses.  It is a place where the residents make it a priority to provide habitat for wildlife by providing the four basic elements that all wildlife need: food, water, cover and places to raise young.  The community also educates its residents about sustainable gardening practices such as reducing or eliminating chemical fertilizers and pesticides, conserving water, planting native plants, removing invasive plants and composting. By participating in this program, Townsend is the first town in Delaware to be certified as a Community Wildlife HabitatTM. As part of this project, accomplishments included the creation and certification of 24 residential homes as backyard wildlife habitats; the creation and certification of the Townsend Municipal Park and Townsend Town Hall as backyard wildlife habitats; the creation and certification of the Townsend Early Childhood Center and Townsend Elementary School as wildlife habitats; creation and presentation of two “Gardening for the Environment” workshops to educate residents on environmentally friendly outdoor practices in addition to instructing and creating rain barrels for all 50 participants;  partnership with Townsend Elementary School’s Junior Council to educate them on wildlife habitat creation; established a resource library, and information area in Townsend Town Hall to educate residents about environmentally friendly practices; created a native plant list especially for Townsend; incorporated environmentally friendly practices into the creation of the Townsend Municipal Park; and held a stream clean-up. Even though the initial certification is over, the project will continue as we add to all the wonderful work that has been done!  If you are interested in helping, let us know!