The U.S. state of Delaware has 20 wildlife and conservation areas, as of 2015.[1] Each of the wildlife areas is operated and maintained by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation, a branch of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).
The state wildlife system includes over 56,000 acres of public land[2] set aside to conserve Delaware's fish and wildlife populations. Unlike Delaware's state parks, which are geared to more general outdoor recreation, the wildlife and conservation areas are managed primarily for recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, and birding, similar to the National Wildlife Refuges operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
| Area Name | County | Date founded | Size | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C&D Canal Conservation Area | New Castle | NaNlast1=Coxe | Preserves land along both sides of the C&D Canal, which connects the Delaware Bay to the Chesapeake Bay. | |
| Augustine Wildlife Area | New Castle | NaNlast1=Rapp | Preserves land along the Delaware Bay and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. | |
| Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area | New Castle | NaNtitle=Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area Overview | Preserves land along the Delaware Bay. | |
| Eagles Nest Wildlife Area | New Castle | NaNlast1=Rainey | Woods and wetlands near Blackbird State Forest. | |
| DNERR Blackbird Creek Reserve | New Castle | 583[3] -acre(236 ha) | Preserves uplands and marsh in Townsend, Delaware. | |
| Woodland Beach Wildlife Area | Kent | NaNlast1=Wilson | Preserves a stretch of wetland along the Delaware Bay. | |
| Blackiston Wildlife Area | Kent | NaNlast1=Stachecki Sharp | ||
| Little Creek Wildlife Area | Kent | 1957 | NaNtitle=Route 9 Coastal Heritage Scenic Byway - Delaware Scenic & Historic Highway Nomination | Preserves a stretch of wetland along the Delaware Bay. |
| Ted Harvey Conservation Area | Kent | 1979[4] | NaNacres | Preserves land along the Delaware Bay and the St. Jones River. Named after the founder of Delaware Wild Lands. |
| Tappahanna Wildlife Area | Kent | |||
| Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area | Kent | 1940[5] | NaNacres | Contains some of the largest intact blocks of forest in the state wildlife area system. Named for the first Director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife. |
| McGinnis Pond Wildlife Area | Kent | NaNtitle=McGinnis Pond | A small fishing pond. | |
| Milford Neck Wildlife Area | Kent, Sussex | 1979 | NaNlast1=Coxe | The disconnected pieces of this wildlife area preserve land around the Murderkill River, the Mispillion River, and the Delaware Bay. |
| Prime Hook State Wildlife Area | Sussex | 1958[6] | NaNacres | Preserves land adjacent to the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge along the Delaware Bay. |
| Marshy Hope Wildlife Area | Sussex | 2000[7] | NaNlast1=Coxe | Preserves woods and wetlands near the Marshyhope Creek along the border with Maryland. |
| Industrial Forest Lands | Sussex | 1992 | NaNtitle=Industrial Forest Lands Overview | Forestland formerly leased from pulp companies. |
| Old Furnace Wildlife Area | Sussex | 2000 | NaNlast1=Coxe | Preserves woodland near the Nanticoke River. |
| Nanticoke Wildlife Area | Sussex | 1967 | NaNlast1=Wilson | Preserves portions of the Nanticoke River and surrounding land. |
| Midlands Wildlife Area | Sussex | 2000 | NaNtitle=Wildlife Area Spotlights | Preserves large pine forest tract located in the middle of the Indian River, Nanticoke River, and Pocomoke River. |
| Assawoman Wildlife Area | Sussex | 1954 | NaNlast1=Coxe | Preserves portions of Little Assawoman Bay and Indian River Bay and the surrounding land. |
| Okie Preserve | Sussex | 2007 | NaNtitle=Marian R. Okie Memorial Wildlife Preserve at Poplar Thicket | |