The Delaware Nature Society will be hosting their 51st Annual Meeting on Wednesday, April 13, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Ashland Nature Center. 

The meting will be open house style from 6 to 7 p.m., where attendees can enjoy free beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres while mingling with guests. From 7 to 8:30 p.m., the program will begin, followed by presentations of 2016 annual awards.  Gov. Jack Markell will be the keynote speaker, and is receiving the Conservation Award. Many of this year’s award recipients are to commemorate community partners working with Delaware Nature Society in its Clean Water Campaign. 

“For the past 50 years, Delaware Nature Society has worked to preserve and protect natural resources -- the water that we drink, the air we breathe, the lands where our food comes from and the outdoor places that we love," said Brian Winslow, executive director of Delaware Nature Society. "Water connects us all, providing a framework that bridges our conservation, education and advocacy work. In this year’s Annual Meeting, we are highlighting partners that have helped us to make Clean Water a priority in our work for benefit of all who live, recreate and visit Delaware. Recognizing his work on behalf of the citizens of Delaware, we are pleased to announce one of our highest awards, Conservation Award, to Governor Jack Markell for his leadership in environmental causes.”  

At Delaware Nature Society’s 2009 annual meeting, Markell unveiled his plan to put environmental health and welfare "at the center of the public policy debate." Through his eight-year tenure, he and his administration have followed through on his promise to bring environmental issues to the forefront. Through the publication of the Delaware’s Climate Framework, passage of statewide recycling, establishment of the Environmental Literacy Plan, creation of bikes and trails initiative, and beginning the dialogue around improving Delaware’s waterways, Markell has been a leader on conservation issues.

Mary Osman from Mount Pleasant High School will receive the Outstanding Environmental Educator Award; Erin Lynch, University of Delaware undergraduate student, will receive the Outstanding Youth Award; Jeff Montgomery, retired journalist at the News Journal, will receive the Environmental Steward Award; Chris Basin from Delaware Inland Bays and Jen Adkins from Delaware Estuary will receive the Water Warriors Award.

The meeting is open to Members of the Delaware Nature Society. Tickets are $20, and guests can register online at www.delnature.org.