Research Center, DE

About the Program
The Ashland Research Center located in Wilmington, Delaware, is adjacent to a 0.5-square-footstretch of Red Clay Creek, a 13.6-mile tributary of the Christina River that runs through southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware and acts as an eastern boundary to the grassland habitat managed on-site for wildlife. The habitat on the property includes mature forests along the bank and provides habitat for native avian species, bats and other wildlife. 

Practices and Impacts

• Ten nest boxes were installed in 2011 to improve habitat and life cycle needs for native cavity-nesting birds and increase avian biodiversity on-site. Monitoring is conducted regularly with maintenance of boxes at the end of each nesting season as needed, and team members installed bird box guards to prevent predation. One hundred percent of nest boxes were used in 2019 and 2020, resulting in nearly 1.5 times the number of fledglings recorded in 2017 and 2018.
• The team actively monitors for ground-nesting avian species and provides nesting and shelter opportunities for the birds to increase populations and promote biodiversity in the habitat. In 2019, a total of 79 ground-nesting avian species and 992 individuals were observed through point-transect surveys. In 2020, 76 ground-nesting avian species and 867 total individuals were observed.
• Duck boxes were erected in 2019 to provide safe breeding habitat for native duck species. Consultants inspect bird boxes several times a year in accordance with the WHC Avian Nest Box Monitoring protocol, and conduct cleaning and repairs as needed. Boxes are monitored for presence/absence of ducks, and 10 wood ducks have been observed on site since 2019.
• The 2021 monitoring data found that the grassland habitat consists of 70.35% native vegetation.