GEORGETOWN, Del. - The discovery of multiple homeless encampments in Redden State Forest has raised concerns among Delaware forestry officials as logging operations continue and hunting season approaches.
Workers with the Delaware Department of Agriculture's Forest Service discovered the encampments in August while conducting routine timber harvesting operations. Although forestry officials have encountered people experiencing homelessness in the woods before, they said finding encampments in an active logging area presents additional safety risks.
For nearby residents, the discovery came as a surprise.
"Everybody needs a place to go, you know, I honestly don't want 'em living in my backyard," says Gerald Jester, who lives just a street away from where the first encampments were discovered.
Jester, who has lived in the area his entire life, said he had noticed unfamiliar people walking through his neighborhood but did not realize people were living in the nearby forest.
"I might've seen a stranger or two walking down the street here, and since I grew up here all my life, I know most of the people that live around here," Jester says. "And when someone walks by that you don't know, it's, uh, you kinda wonder what's up and what's going on."
Homeless encampments can still be found off of the Marvel Tract in the Redden State Forest.Â
State Forestry Chief Kyle Hoyd says the encampments create several safety concerns, particularly during active logging operations. Falling trees and heavy equipment can pose serious risks to anyone living near harvesting sites.
Foresters are also concerned about the possibility of fires spreading through dry vegetation and accidental encounters between hunters and people staying in the forest.
Those concerns come as Delaware's rifle and shotgun hunting season is set to begin Nov. 13, bringing hunters to Redden State Forest's more than 14,000 acres.
The potential dangers of hunting in wooded areas were highlighted by a recent deadly shooting nearby. According to court documents, 74-year-old Walter Moorhead shot and killed Maria Chilel Soto while hunting after allegedly mistaking her for a deer.
Other park staff shared that homeless people had been unwilling to allow hunters into certain areas of the state forest.Â
Forestry officials say the incident underscores the importance of safety as more hunters prepare to enter the woods, including those unfamiliar with the area.
State leaders also emphasized that camping in Redden State Forest is regulated through a reservation system, meaning visitors cannot simply set up tents wherever they choose.
As forestry staff address the encampments, nearby residents hope the state can help those experiencing homelessness find safer places to stay.
"Hopefully that's where the state kicks in, and somebody with higher powers than me help out," Jester says.
With timber harvesting underway and hunting season approaching, forestry officials warn that people living in the forest could face serious dangers from falling trees, fires and hunting activity.
