Raising Awareness to Preserve 120 Acres in Lewes

LEWES, Del. - On Wednesday night in Lewes many people gathered at the Lewes Public Library to discuss a plan to preserve land in town. 

The plan was named the Open Space Alliance started by two nonprofits, The Sussex County Land Trust and The Greater Lewes Foundation. The groups have joined forces in an attempt to preserve 120 acres of land in Lewes by getting easements from property owners.

Pam Costanzi, the campaign manager for the Open Space Alliance, said they have a short window to raise the funds needed to buy the land. 

"In the next 18 months, we need to raise $18.3 million dollars," Costanzi said.

The money raised would be used to buy and maintain two pieces of land, the 4th Street Preserve and the Ard Na Greine. The goal for the land is to salvage the natural environment and keep it open to the public. 

"The two pieces of land will provide recreational, passive recreation for people who want to go hiking, if they want to just be in nature," Costanzi said.

In the past few years the population along the Delaware coast has exploded.  A lot of people in the area see the importance of preserving untouched land in Lewes for the future, like Carol Holloway who has lived in Lewes for 20 years.

"Development is inevitable, but we need to do it in a better way than we've been doing it," Holloway said. "We've just been clear cutting woods and that's not good."

Michael Taylor is another local who just wants to keep the land as it's always been.

"A lot of people here are disappointed to see the farmland disappear in front of our eyes," Taylor said.

Organizers said they have planned seven gatherings and smaller fundraisers so far. They'll keep doing gatherings with the help of the community until they reach their goal by the December 2024 deadline.