Chemours Newport Site

About the Program
The Chemours Newport Site is located in an urbanized area of coastal Delaware, five miles southwest of Wilmington and along the Christina River. The site has no active operations and is visited several times each month by staff and environmental consultants. It includes a built pond and wetland of about two acres, and a mix of woodlands and open space that is frequented by birds and other wildlife. Over the last decade, the team has installed nest boxes for various bird species, a turtle basking structure and a platform for ospreys during the breeding season. The site is within Delaware's Christina River Watershed, an Important Bird Area according to the National Audubon Society.

Practices and Impacts

• In 2014, the team installed an osprey nesting platform.  Although the platform has not yet been used, ospreys are seen frequently near the site, and monitoring provides an additional data point for the global Osprey Watch initiative.
• Partnering with a prospective Eagle Scout, the team installed two nest boxes for eastern screech owls. The on-site forage area connects to similar habitat nearby. The team has found owl pellets under the boxes each year, and occasionally an owl is visible.
• In 2013, the team installed a 14-cavity colony box suitable for purple martins and other cavity-nesting birds. The boxes are cleaned annually and monitored regularly throughout the spring. 
• The team has maintained numerous tree swallow boxes near the wetland area since 2005. The boxes have been consistently upgraded, moved and replaced based on findings from monitoring.
• The site contains three wildflower meadows covering 1.5 acres to support pollinators. Woody growth and invasive species are controlled through annual mowing and herbicide applications. These meadows also provide habitat and feeding opportunities for resident and migratory birds and prevent soil erosion into the river.
• The team installed five wood duck nesting boxes and planted common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) in the South Pond area.