Letter From Our Director
Delaware Nature Society ’ s ( DelNature ) resilience as an organization is remarkable . Looking back on 2020 and 2021 is both humbling and surreal for me as its new Executive Director .
It ’ s surreal to realize that for at least half of that time , basic work functions like meetings , programs and events weren ’ t feasible because of the threat they posed to public health . And humbling to reflect on how people responded to the challenges that created , learning new technology , finding innovative ways to interact safely , all under stressful conditions like masking and social distancing . As wellness became the national focus , our preserves teemed with people seeking physical and spiritual relief from their isolation indoors , creating both new opportunities and new challenges .
Yet , with your support we achieved some incredible things during this time , like a new Clean Water Trust for Delaware and our new Market at Coverdale Farm open to the public .
I ’ m grateful to those who steered DelNature through the worst of this storm . Anne Harper navigated multiple waves of COVID and our first-ever pandemic policies until her retirement as Executive Director in June 2021 . Joanne McGeoch bravely stepped in as Interim Executive Director to navigate back into offices and programs until her departure in June 2022 , while continuing to lead our fundraising efforts . Despite the challenges of the pandemic , support for DelNature did not waiver thanks to them and to you .
We survived this storm intact but not unchanged . The pandemic revealed the importance of nature for health and resilience while highlighting the fact that we do not all have the same access to those benefits . It also took a heavy toll on staff , volunteers , and communities that are still recovering today . With your support , we are thinking creatively about how to regrow parts of DelNature that have been lost . Because our work connecting people to the natural world is more important than ever – not just to improve the environment , but for the wellness of the people who live here .
Jen Adkins Executive Director
Ashland Nature Center Hawk Watch Hill , Photography by Christi Leeson
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