The former Old Wilmington Marsh, also known as Dravo Marsh, is a 238-acre freshwater marsh on the Christina River named for former Delaware Governor Russell W. Peterson, a nationally prominent environmentalist known as "Rebel with a Conscience." Peterson's vision led to the redevelopment of this riverfront, and during his service as governor of Delaware from 1969 to 1973 he championed the Coastal Zone Act; he also served as president of the National Audubon Society. Delaware and the nation are presented as deeply indebted to his more than fifty years of environmental leadership. The refuge is intended to again become a teeming fish and wildlife area, with tidal freshwater wetlands supporting diverse vegetation that can attract migratory waterfowl and other water birds, including black ducks, pintails, green-winged teal, migrant Canada geese, and various heron and raptor species, while also benefiting mammals such as muskrats, beaver, and otter.

Photo: Devry Becker Jones (CC0)