The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced a controlled burn will be scheduled at Brandywine Creek State Park in March or April to manage 27 acres of meadows near the park entrance and encourage the growth of native plants and wildlife habitat.
According to the department, while much of the natural area managed by the Division of Parks and Recreation is forested, Brandywine Creek State Park is known for its meadow views divided by blue gneiss stone walls. The last controlled burn at the park was held in March 2024 near the nature center.
Prescribed burning is described as a meadow management technique that mimics natural fire and is used periodically instead of annual mowing to reset ecological succession before meadows become forest. The department said this upcoming controlled burn will encourage native wildflowers and warm season grasses, creating nesting habitats for grassland birds such as eastern bluebird and common yellowthroat, as well as native pollinators like orange sulphur and monarch butterflies, along with other grassland-dependent animals.
The Division of Parks and Recreation is coordinating with the DNREC Division of Air Quality and the Delaware Department of Agriculture Forest Service to perform the burn on a single day. The date will be determined by weather conditions, personnel availability, and open burning approval. Brandywine Creek State Park will be closed to the public on that day. Once details are finalized, they will be announced on the park’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
For more information about how DNREC uses prescribed burns for habitat management and wildfire prevention, residents can refer to resources such as Outdoor Delaware’s article “Prescribed Burns Help Delaware Manage Habitat and Prevent Wildfires.” Additional details about DNREC’s role in managing state parks can be found according to the official roster page.
