Enjoy fall at DuPont Nature Center

Trees are not the only place you can see vibrant fall colors as the marshlands in our area also change with the season (Photo courtesy of DuPont Nature Center)

The fall season is filling the air, pumpkins are out, the apple cider is spiced, and trees are getting ready to shed those heavy leaves for the winter. But did you know you don’t need to seek out dense forest canopies to enjoy those changing fall colors? You can find them right here in the marsh!

Just like the leaves of our deciduous trees, the plants that make up our local marshes also begin to change as the days become shorter and the temperatures drop. For example, Spartina grasses begin to shed their vibrant, summertime green color and dampen to a soft golden yellow. This is followed by another marsh staple, glasswort, which transfers from green to a bold, reddish orange.

Not only are the marshes changes color to greet fall, but DuPont Nature Center is also offering some spooky programs for the end of October. Enjoy spine tingling stories of local lighthouses as the staff at the center tell their favorite haunted lighthouse stories on Friday, October 25 at 11 AM. At 2 PM that same day, learn about the eerie creatures that live under the sea. Both programs are free, but the haunted lighthouse stories could be frightening for small children. Both programs will be offered a second time on Saturday, October 26 with the undersea creature program at 11 AM and the haunted lighthouses at 2 PM.

All across the marshlands you can see these changing colors shine! So grab your pumpkin-spiced coffees, apple cider donuts, and coziest flannels and pass by the forests out to the coast to enjoy the chilly, autumn marsh air.

For more information about the center and its programs, contact Patrick Ruhl at 302-422-1329.