Delaware coverage
New Castle County, Delaware
The marsh along the Delaware River side of the county carries the same invasive reed problem the coast does.
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.
Two kinds of ground in one county
Northern New Castle County is Piedmont estate country: Greenville, Centreville, Montchanin, Yorklyn and Hockessin, served by the estates and equestrian divisions. The river side carries marsh, ditches and farm ground, which the coastal division covers.
- Phragmites programs along the river marsh
- Marsh-edge ground and brush clearing on firm or frozen ground
- Ditch and right-of-way ground and brush clearing
- Estate work in the north through the estates division
Scheduling
Northern Delaware is inside the core of the service region; ground south of the canal is scheduled with travel and staging accounted for in the proposal.
Regulatory status
As in Sussex, the regulatory status of every marsh site is confirmed with DNREC in writing before work begins.
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.
Keep reading
- Northern Delaware, full area page
- Phragmites programs
- Estates division coverage
- Coastal & Phragmites Management division home
- Coastal & Phragmites Management terms and definitions
Working further south too? sourced key facts on Sussex County, Delaware (SussexCounty.ai)
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.
More from the Coastal & Phragmites Management division
- Phragmites management programs
- Marsh-edge ground and brush clearing
- Coastal-plain selective clearing
- Ditch and right-of-way ground and brush clearing
- Permits and DNREC on coastal ground
- Community associations and waterfront frontage
- Sussex County, Delaware
- Land work in Chester County & SE Pennsylvania
- Land work in Northern Delaware
- Land work in Sussex County, Delaware
- All counties and towns we serve
Let’s walk the shoreline.
hello@huntlyland.comSend 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
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.