Coastal division

Where the coastal division works

Sussex County first, along the Inland Bays and the Delaware Bay shore, then New Castle County.

1The short answer

The coastal division covers Delaware’s marsh and coastal-plain ground. Sussex County carries most of the Phragmites volume; the river side of New Castle County carries the same reed. The county pages below set out what is done in each, and the full area pages carry the hub copy. We name a community only when a photograph was actually taken there.

2Coverage

Pages for this ground

1.
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is the coastal division’s home ground. Four principal lines of work run here: Phragmites programs on the water, forestry mulching and selective clearing on coastal-plain pine, lanes and corridors on sandy soils, and ditch and right-of-way ground and brush clearing for farms and tax-ditch organizations.
2.
New Castle County, Delaware
Most Phragmites volume is in Sussex, but the marsh along the Delaware River side of New Castle County carries the same invasive reed, and the same treat-then-clear program applies with the same equipment. Northern New Castle County sits inside the core of the Huntly service region, minutes over the line from Chadds Ford.

These are communities we cover, not a list of completed projects.

Town pages

Sussex County, Delaware town pages

One page for each of the 25 incorporated municipalities in Sussex County. These are communities we cover, not a list of completed projects.

3The region

County and region pages

The Brandywine Valley first, then Chester County and southeastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware, and Sussex County, Delaware (Inland Bays and Delaware Bay shoreline). Delaware County, PA and Kent County, DE are also inside the region. If a property sits just past that line, ask; travel is usually the smallest figure on the proposal.

4How a job runs

Five steps, in this order.

Phragmites assessment and mapped standThe stand or the work area is walked and mapped, with access, tidal edges and low-bearing ground noted.
Permit path confirmed with DNRECThe regulatory status of the site is confirmed with DNREC in writing before work begins, at no cost to the owner.
Year 1 treat then clearLicensed treatment in late summer under separate paper, then a winter clear and mulch of the standing dead material.
Years 2 to 3 spot-treat and maintenance clearRegrowth is spot-treated and the stand gets a light maintenance clear, on firm or frozen ground.
Annual maintenance, drone-verifiedA yearly visit holds the result, and each year is photographed from the air for the owner’s record.

Before you write

Phragmites, permits, cost-share and timing

Regulatory notes are general guidance; Huntly confirms the rules that apply to each site before work.

What shapes the cost of a Phragmites program in Sussex County, DE?

The size and density of the stand, access to the marsh edge, the frontage involved, the number of years in the program and whether licensed herbicide application is part of it. Licensed applications and permits are quoted as separate visible lines, and every program is priced in writing after an assessment of the stand.

Does Delaware help pay for Phragmites control?

DNREC’s cost-share program covers 87.5% of aerial herbicide treatment for qualifying Phragmites stands (landowner pays 12.5%), applied by helicopter in late summer and early fall over a three-year commitment. Enrollment requires 5 to 200 acres. Applications are first-come, first-served with a mid-summer deadline. If you qualify, we will tell you and help you enroll.

Does ground and brush clearing alone get rid of Phragmites?

No. Ground and brush clearing alone does not control Phragmites; programs pair cutting with treatment. Its rhizomes can spread more than 30 feet sideways and about 3 feet deep (DNREC).

Do I need a permit to cut Phragmites in Delaware?

Activities in Delaware wetlands generally require a DNREC permit (7 Del. C. § 6604), with some exemptions. We confirm with DNREC Wetlands and Waterways before cutting or spraying in tidal wetlands.

When is marsh work scheduled?

Mechanical ground and brush clearing is scheduled on firm or frozen ground in winter. Herbicide is applied by a Delaware-licensed aquatic applicator in the late-summer window DNREC uses, and the state cost-share program sprays by helicopter in late summer and early fall. Track carriers working on low-ground-pressure tracks reach marsh edges that trucks and tractors cannot.

Keep exploring

More from the Coastal & Phragmites Management division

Schedule a site walk

Let’s walk the shoreline.

hello@huntlyland.com

Send the town, rough acreage and two or three photographs. We reply by email with site-walk times, and a written scope follows the walk.

Delaware & coastal line: (302) 497-5263 · Main line: (484) 486-7272

Plan a site walk Storm or emergency

Office hours Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On call 24/7 for storm and emergency cleanup. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.