Slaughter Beach Ecological Environment Project – ( Slaughter BEEP)

If you have driven through Town recently, you might have noticed signs popping up from time to time, and not political signs. Rather they are yard signs which show that the property has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation program, sponsored locally, by the Delaware Nature Society’s as a Certified Wildlife Habitat yard. A Certified Wildlife Habitat is one which provides official recognition for properties that meet five criteria necessary for wildlife: food, water, cover, places for wildlife to raise young, and wildlife-friendly landscaping practices.
With the backing of Town Council, ( SB Support) an initiative for getting the Town certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat is underway. This initiative goes hand in hand with what Slaughter Beach, a Horseshoe Crab Sanctuary, is about, living in harmony with nature. Presently there are 18 yards certified so far. The certification process is easy. To find out what it takes to be certified, download this HabitatCertificationApplication from Delaware Nature Society.
Not sure if your yard qualifies or if it does not meet all the qualifications and want help, or have questions send an email to slaughterbeep@comcast.net. Right now two towns in Delaware have been certified, Townsend and in October Newark became the second in Delaware and the 78th in the nation. SB can be the third in Delaware. The goal is to be certified by late spring, coinciding when our “tourist”- Horseshoe Crabs, Shorebirds, Diamondback Terrapins, ect – return. You don’t have to be an avid gardener or a full time resident to participate in this program. Sometimes minimal effort or even slight changes can make your yard qualify to be certified. Get involved and help the Town get certified.

Gardening using native plants not only draws in and feeds wildlife, it also increases the likelihood that the plants you are using are going to survive in our environment. Below is a list of websites which may be helpful in picking out native plants.

Delaware Nature Society’s Home Page
Wetland Plants from the U of D
Creating a Certified Habitat Video from DNREC
Rain gardens
Monarch Butterfly Gardening
Resource guide to replace non-native with native plants

We will be adding additional information as time goes on, and in December check us out on Facebook at Slaughter Beep. – Slaughter Beach Ecological Environment Project. Our Facebook page can be found here.

95% of the land within Town limits is located in the Conservation/Agriculture District (conservation map areas) . Three of the largest tracts of land of Slaughter Beach are supportive of the Town’s Habitat Initiative Project. We thank Delaware Fish and Wildlife, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, (PH support letter) and Delaware Nature Society, (Slaughter Educ. Part 2014-1) for their support. These three areas provide and support an abundance of wildlife and provide the 4 major components of program to provide water, food, shelter and a place to raise young.