DNREC March 2024

Every March for more than three decades, hundreds of volunteers have gathered at beaches along the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean to plant Cape American beach grass.

This rite of spring, managed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, is a key piece of the state’s strategy to lessen the impact of storms along the coast. Dunes act as sand storage areas, replenishing eroded beaches during storms. Crucially, they also block waves that would otherwise rush inland and potentially damage properties.

The planting began in 1990 and has taken place every year since, except during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. In that timeframe, volunteers and DNREC staff have planted a whopping total of more than 5 million stems of grass along the bay and ocean beaches.

In 2024, the bulk of the planting took place on March 16, a fairly sunny Saturday with temperatures in the 50s. More than 800 people gathered at Fenwick Island, Fenwick Island State Park, Delaware Seashore State Park, Lewes Beach, Bowers Beach, South Bowers Beach and Slaughter Beach for the occasion.

For many, the planting has become an annual event, something they look forward to every year and participate in with family members or friends. Read more.