DOVER, DE – DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship invites the public to vote on the finalists in this year’s Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest by visiting de.gov/nps. The contest aims to share the beauty of Delaware’s diverse environment while acting as a vivid reminder that everything that happens on land within the state’s watersheds also directly affects what happens in our waterways.
A watershed is all of the land that water moves across or under while flowing to a specific body of water. The contest was open to all photographers and images from any of Delaware’s watersheds were accepted. Judges were looking for striking photographic images of Delaware’s landscapes, waterscapes, native wildlife, and agricultural practices.
Votes for contest finalists must be submitted by Monday, June 24. Contest judges from within DNREC chose the entries that have advanced to the next stage of the contest – online public voting, which will determine the finalists and winners in each of four categories below:
Natural Landscapes of Delaware – Photographs of the scenic visible features of Delaware’s countryside or land.
Waterscapes of Delaware – Photographs of any waterbodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, creeks, estuaries, bay, ocean, etc.
Native Wildlife of Delaware – Native mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles, and amphibians of Delaware. Photographs of domesticated animals were not eligible in this category.
Agriculture in Delaware – Photographs of the practice of farming, including but not limited to the cultivation of soil for growing crops and rearing animals for food, wool, and other products.
Photos by contest winners will be on display at the 2019 Delaware State Fair and voted on by fairgoers to determine the overall “Best in Show” photo. The first place winners of each of four contest categories will receive a Delaware State Park pass for 2020 and their work will appear in Outdoor Delaware magazine. The first, second, and third place winners of each category will be recognized during the annual DNREC Awards ceremony on Governor’s Day at the Delaware State Fair, and the “Best in Show” will be featured in Outdoor Delaware magazine.