The James Farm Ecological Preserve (Preserve) is an oasis of wildland on Indian River Bay, located just a short drive from Bethany Beach, Delaware on Cedar Neck Road in Ocean View.
From the sandy beach at low tide, you can walk the trails through seven distinctive habitats; from the salty flats of the low marsh with its salt marsh cordgrass and glasswort, through the shrubby high marsh with bayberry, marsh elder, and salt marsh hay, into the shade of the loblolly pines, holly and red cedar of the maritime forest, into the deep shade of the hardwood forest under a canopy of southern red oak, hickory, sweetgum, and sassafras, finally to emerge back into the sunshine in the meadows that were once farm fields.
In 2014, the Preserve felt the footsteps of 10,000 visitors, many with their four-legged friends, and welcomed nearly a thousand students for a day of watershed education. It became clear that to protect the forest, marshes, beaches, and wetlands AND accommodate the needs of a growing number of visitors, a plan was necessary. This led to the creation and implementation of the James Farm Master Plan.
A note to visitors: Construction activities that are part of the Master Plan for the James Farm Ecological Preserve have begun! Site work is currently underway and the Preserve is open during construction. Updates regarding trail or facility closures will be made as needed on the Preserve’s Facebook page.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected]. Click the button below to learn more about plans for the Preserve.
