LEWES, Del. - The City of Lewes proposes the reforestation of what is nearly 20 acres of land along New Road, in an attempt to further restore natural habitat in the area.
The proposal to bring almost 8,720 native trees and shrubs to the land was brought up in Monday night's Mayor and City Council Public Hearing for the city of Lewes. In the meeting, the plan was to turn all of the city-owned land into preserved land.
City officials say they hope that by preserving this land and possibly planting trees, flooding and stormwater will not cause the same damage it has in years prior.
"Last year, the City of Lewes established a resiliency fund. This year, we established a resiliency commission. Our purpose, and our mission, is to identify short and long term solutions that will enhance and promote resiliency in the City of Lewes," said Khalil Saliba, Deputy Mayor and Councilman for the City of Lewes. "This is one of those projects. This is one of our short-term projects that we are going to apply for, fund, and plant trees here that will help mitigate flooding and other issues for the surrounding communities." Saliba said.
He left no doubt in stating that this area will serve as a pet-free, preserved area and not a recreational park.
The City of Lewes says the plan will cost it 10 percent of the estimated total cost of $80,000. That's approximately $9,620 to $10,940 from the spring 2026 through the fall 2028. The rest of the project will be covered by the Delaware Forest Service, according to the City of Lewes.
Elizabeth Grove, who lives in the nearby neighborhood of Canary Creek, is excited about this proposal.
"Having the trees over there absorbing the water, if that should ever happen, is, yes, it’s very comforting,” said Grove.
Saliba says that to move forward with the plan for this almost 20 acres of land, a grant must be issued to and approved by the Delaware Forest Service. If approved, the planting will begin in the spring of 2026 and continue through the fall of 2028.