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Dover, Delaware – Governor John Carney, along with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Open Space Council, have announced a planned expansion of White Clay Creek State Park in Newark.

Key Points

• The expansion of White Clay Creek State Park includes the addition of 275 acres, a historic investment in the park, which is now nearly 3,650 acres in total. The initiative aims to enhance recreational activities, support wildlife habitats, maximize its 37-mile trail system, and preserve more open land in New Castle County.
• The $26 million project received $19.5 million from the Delaware Open Space Program and $6 million from Mt. Cuba Center through The Conservation Fund. A $500,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through Walmart’s Acres for America program also supported the project. This is the first Acres for America project in Delaware and one of ten competitive grants awarded nationwide.
• The project has worked to acquire three land parcels, including the last major privately-owned land within the park, with the acquisition process divided into three phases:
• • Phase 1: Approximately 90 acres, completed in September 2023.
  • Phase 2: Approximately 97 acres, expected in early 2024.
  • Phase 3: Approximately 88 acres, anticipated in late 2024.
• DNREC, through the Delaware Open Space Program, has now acquired over 45,000 acres using state, federal, and partner funds. The FY 2023 budget, under Governor Carney, included a $20 million increase for the Open Space Program.
• Sabrina du Pont-Langenegger and her husband Conrad Langenegger also donated a $1.3 million endowment in honor of William K. du Pont to support Delaware State Parks.