A year in review: the work of the 
N.C. Coastal Reserve
 
Take a look at 2017 highlights from the education, training, research and stewardship programs here.
Beaufort Elementary creates educational signs for the Rachel Carson Reserve
 
Each fall, Beaufort Elementary School fifth graders take a field trip to the Rachel Carson Reserve. This year students were not just there to learn about the estuary, the Rachel Carson needed new interpretive signs to help enhance the educational experience of visitors to the Reserve! Learn more about this collaboration here.
Coastal Training Program co-hosts
marine planning process workshop

Understanding how to use coastal resources while minimizing environmental impacts is a tricky task.  To educate coastal management professionals on the Planning Process, the Coastal Training Program co-hosted a workshop with Duke's Executive Education program in January. A special thanks to the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program, who provided additional funding for the workshop! Read more here. 
Could a dusting of sediment help marshes keep up with sea-level rise?
When faced with rising sea levels, marshes are particularly vulnerable. Marsh grasses only grow within a very narrow range of elevations in the intertidal zone and drown if covered with water too long each day. A new research project is testing thin layer deposition that adds a thin layer of sediment to the marsh surface to help marshes to keep up with sea level rise.
Upcoming Events
February 15th:
Clean Marina Workshop- Beaufort

February 28th:
Clean Marina Workshop- Wilmington

March 15th:
Clean Marina Workshop- Barco (Currituck County)

March 24th:
Feather Friends (Masonboro)

April 12th:
Citizen Science Presentation - Wilmington

April 14th:
Terrapin Tally Training

April 22nd:
Earth Day at Hugh McRae Park

April 27th:
Masonboro Island Community Paddle

April 28-9th, May 5-6th:
5th Annual Terrapin Tally

May 1st:
Sea turtle presentation & volunteer info session

Information about all of these events is available on the event calendar.
In the News
Restoration in Marine Protected Areas spillover to support oyster populations

Explore part of the NC Birding Trail at Currituck Banks Reserve

Oystercatcher banded in GA, found at Masonboro Island  17 years later 

ECU graduate student Chris Moore Named Coastal Research Fellow
Friends of the Reserve Update
  The Friends of the Reserve (FOR) is a nonprofit organization that supports the Reserve's education, research and management programs through fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness. FOR stepped up its fundraising efforts this past fall and is planning fundraising events for 2018, most notably an oyster roast to celebrate FOR's upcoming 20th birthday. Read the full update here.
Wildlife Monitoring at the Reserve
 
Have you ever wondered if a baby Oystercatcher chick is hiding in the dune grass or a fox lurking in the forest when you visit the Reserve? Staff use motion activated "camera traps" throughout the year to document the species residing at reserve sites. This information enhances natural history records and informs wildlife management.   

The Masonboro Island Reserve has partnered with Candid Critters, a citizen science group in North Carolina, to monitor wildlife in the reserve. Wildlife cameras are placed near shorebird nests to document paternal behaviors and nesting success during the summer nesting season. During the winter months, the cameras are set to capture predator numbers.
 
Are you interested in deploying your own "camera traps" as citizen scientists? Sign up for  Candid Critters  to monitor wildlife on your property.
Facebook Favorites 
All the Coastal Reserve staff gathered 
at the Beaufort Lab in December to 
share highlights and learn about activities from the past year.
Even though the snow has melted on all the main roads, there was still plenty left at the Buckridge Reserve the second week of January!

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