Delaware Nature Society

About the Society

Join the Delaware Nature Society and discover the wonders of our natural world!

In October, 2007, Charity Navigator, America's premier charity evaluator, awarded the Delaware Nature Society the coveted 4-star rating for sound fiscal management. The calculations are based on the organization's ability to effectively manage and grow its finances. As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support with their hard-earned dollars. Charity Navigator provides donors with essential information needed to give them greater confidence in the charitable choices they make. Less than a quarter of the charities evaluated receive the highest rating of four stars, indicating that Delaware Nature Society outperforms the majority of non-profits in America with respect to fiscal responsibility. Click this link to go to our rating page on the Charity Navigator website.

A nonprofit organization, our mission is:

to foster understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the natural world through education;
to preserve ecologically significant areas;
to advocate stewardship and conservation of natural resources.

We are people who care about the environment—more than 8,000 members, corporations and foundations—generously support our work. We're also proud of our over 1,000 volunteers who supplement the work of our full-time, professional staff.

Discover a wealth of outdoor programs in natural settings
Throughout the year, we offer more than 300 hands-on nature programs geared to every age groupÑfrom toddlers to mature adults. These outdoor adventures range from inspecting microscopic aquatic creatures to scanning panoramic views from mountain tops. Our programs encourage both children and adults to understand and appreciate the natural world in their own neighborhoods and on Nature Society sponsored excursions to spectacular places such as Panama and Africa, and places closer to home, such as Fallingwater and the Smoky Mountains. Each year our field studies for schools and community groups instill environmental awareness through more than 70,000 contacts with children and other groups, including scouts and the physically challenged. Three main program and experiential sites are maintained: Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin, Coverdale Farm in Greenville and Abbott's Mill Nature Center (with its preserved, working mill) in Milford.

Help preserve rare habitats
We own or manage more than 1,100 acres of wildlife habitat for education and biodiversity, such as Burrows Run and Flint Woods Preserves in New Castle County, Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve and areas of the Milford Millponds Nature Preserve in Sussex County and land surrounding Cooch-Dayett Mills in Newark. DNS, working independently and through coalitions and partnerships, has helped preserve more than 123,000 acres of Natural Areas and 84,000 acres of Farmland. More than 1.3 million children, teens and adults have attended our educational programs, helping them to better enjoy and appreciate our environment as it should be. The Nature Society pioneers in the effort to preserve Delaware's priceless and irreplaceable natural resources. Your membership in the Delaware Nature Society helps protect vital places.

Help address environmental concerns
Your membership in the Delaware Nature Society supports a strong voice in protecting your environment. We attempt to strike a balance between environmental protection and the pressures of economics and population growth. The Nature Society takes a leading role in advocating clean water, clean air and open space. We build and lead coalitions of diverse interests and help formulate policy, coordinate grassroots volunteer monitoring programs such as Delaware Stream Watch, and produce natural history books and videos. Additionally, DNS is the Delaware affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), offering input on national issues that concern citizens in our region.

Discover all we have to offer
Support our work for a better environment and quality of life. We're people who are committed to the appreciation and understanding of our natural surroundings while ensuring their protection for tomorrow. We want to share our enjoyment of nature with you.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

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