Friends and neighbors,

My love for the outdoors started when I was young and has shaped my life ever since. I built my career as an environmental attorney because I spent countless hours outside and wanted to protect those beautiful places (and the chance to enjoy them) for generations to come. I am proud to fight for our local ecosystems, open spaces, and agricultural lands because I know that a strong economy and a healthy environment are mutually beneficial, not mutually exclusive.

Our local ecosystems support us every day, even if we don't always stop to notice. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat - we take it for granted that these things will always be plentiful, clean, and safe. But that is far from guaranteed, and it is more important than ever that we be responsible stewards of our shared environment and that we are aware of how our actions impact the intricate, delicate web of flora, fauna, streams, soils, fields, and forests that sustain life on this planet and in this state.

When I arrived in Dover for my first day as your state Senator, I knew that there was a lot of work to do. Just over a year later, I am proud of what we have accomplished so far and excited about how much more we can do in the coming years. On this beautiful Earth Day, I hope you will take a moment to read some of the things we have been doing in the Senate to protect and improve our state's ecosystems and consider getting involved in your community to do your part.

Thank you,
Stephanie Hansen
Senator, District 10
Native Species Commission
I was proud to vote yes as the Senate passed SB 153 late last month. This bill was the final and in many ways most important recommendation of our Ecological Extinction Task Force and will create a Delaware Native Species Commission to implement all of the other recommendations listed in the final report, recommendations designed to stop the steady decline of biodiversity in the First State. As we said many times before, this shocking loss may soon be irreversible and will pose a dire threat to our state's ecosystems, agriculture, and public health.
LegHall Certified Wildlife Habitat
Our Task Force made a big ask of Delawarean homeowners, gardeners, developers, and landscapers - join us in creating eco-friendly yards and landscapes. This is the biggest step we can take to protect our native species but it requires broad participation to work. All of us in General Assembly agreed that if we are going to make this ask, we should lead by example. So we did - we established some rules for how the lawn and plants around LegHall will be cared for and we are proud to say that Legislative Hall is now a certified Wildlife Habitat. If you want to help make your yard into a space that supports the local ecosystem, click here!
DNREC is encouraging teachers, parents, and neighbors to nominate local students for the 2018 Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards . Nominations must be based on actions or projects which have taken place between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. You can read more and find the nomination form here .
Townsend Tree Planting
As an environmentalist, a parent, and a resident of the area, I was excited to learn about efforts by Caroline Dowd - a Girl Scout, super-volunteer, and student at the 10th District's MOT Charter School - to plant 8,000 hardwood seedlings in Blackbird Forest over the weekend. It was a joy to go and volunteer with her and to support a project that will benefit local wildlife, water quality, and natural beauty for generations to come.