Huntly Land Co.Coastal & Phragmites Management (484) 486-7272 (302) 497-5263 Email us
Cleared Phragmites field running out to the bay on the horizon

Regulatory status

Permits and DNREC on coastal ground

Regulatory status is confirmed in writing for every site before work begins.

Request an assessmentQuestions answered
1The short answer

Activities in Delaware wetlands generally require a DNREC permit (7 Del. C. § 6604), with some exemptions. Huntly confirms with DNREC Wetlands and Waterways before cutting or spraying in tidal wetlands. On Huntly work the marsh soil and rhizome mat are never disturbed.

Aerial of a coastal peninsula showing cleared Phragmites beside standing reed along the waterline
Cleared and standing Phragmites along the waterline
2Coastal & Phragmites Management

What is and is not disturbed

The cut is above grade. No dredging, draining or filling, and no disturbance of the marsh soil. Equipment works on firm or frozen ground with low-ground-pressure tracks.

  • Above-grade cut only
  • Marsh soil and rhizome mat untouched
  • Site status confirmed with DNREC in writing
  • Owner authorization in place before scheduling
3Coastal & Phragmites Management

Licensed treatment

Herbicide application on a Phragmites program is carried out by a Delaware-licensed aquatic applicator, in the same late-summer window DNREC uses, under separate paper from Huntly’s mechanical work.

4Coastal & Phragmites Management

State cost-share

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. Any cost-share is paid to the applicant, never to Huntly; Huntly can provide the scope description and photographs an application asks for.

5Questions

Asked about permits and DNREC on coastal ground

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. Huntly confirms with DNREC Wetlands and Waterways before cutting or spraying in tidal wetlands. The marsh soil and rhizome mat are never disturbed.

Who is responsible for the permit if one is needed?

The owner holds any authorization. Huntly confirms requirements and works to the conditions.

6How a job runs

Five steps, in this order.

  1. Phragmites assessment and mapped standThe stand or the work area is walked and mapped, with access, tidal edges and low-bearing ground noted.
  2. 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.
  3. Year 1 treat then clearLicensed treatment in late summer under separate paper, then a winter clear and mulch of the standing dead material.
  4. 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.
  5. Annual maintenance, drone-verifiedA yearly visit holds the result, and each year is photographed from the air for the owner’s record.
Related

Keep reading

Look up the parcel and the docket: Sussex County PIN permit lookup (SussexCounty.ai)

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

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Plan a site walkStorm 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.