Park advocate Donald Sharpe honored for commitment to land preservation

Donald Sharpe, who has spent decades advocating for the preservation of what is now White Clay Creek State Park, was honored last week as a “true pioneer of preservation.”

“His tireless work as a lobbyist and advocate has been recognized nationally, contributing significantly to legislative successes that support open space preservation, the endowment of natural resources, and the safeguarding of our environmental heritage,” County Council President Karen Hartley-Nagle said.

As chair of the Land Conservation Committee of the Delaware State C.A.P. Council of the UAW and a member of the Coalition of Natural Stream Valleys, Sharpe has spent more than 55 years advocating for preservation of the parkland, starting when there was a proposal to turn the property into a large reservoir.

Thanks to advocacy from him and others, nearly 6,200 acres of land – White Clay Creek State Park in Delaware and White Clay Creek Preserve in Pennsylvania – have been preserved from development.

“Sharpe’s efforts have not only halted potentially detrimental projects like the dam and reservoir project in the 1960s but have also led to the acquisition and protection of additional vital natural areas, demonstrating his commitment to the ecological and recreational vitality of our community,” Hartley-Nagle said.

She surprised Sharpe with an official proclamation from New Castle County Council on April 15 during a lunch at Skipjack. Sharpe and other advocates had planned the lunch as a way to thank state legislators and other officials who were involved in the recent purchase of 275 acres along Pleasant Hill Road to add to White Clay Creek State Park.

Sharpe deflected the praise, saying that his work was part of a broader effort by the late Dorothy Miller and many other advocates.

“I'm a team player. Working together means winning together,” he said. “To me, this represents a lot of people.”