N.C. Coastal Reserve & 
National Estuarine Research Reserve 
Tidal Flat 
Spring 2017

 
A Year in Review: The Work of the N.C. Coastal Reserve
The Reserve accomplished a lot in 2016. Take a look at highlights from the education, training, research and stewardship programs here.
Salt Marshes vs. Sea Level Rise
In the battle of salt marshes vs. sea level rise, which side wins? In a recent study published in the journal, Biological Conservation, collaborators from 16 National Estuarine Research Reserves around the country used a pioneering new method to gauge the resilience-ability to resist damage and recover quickly-of tidal marshes to sea level rise. Guess, who joined in this effort? That's right, the research and monitoring program of the North Carolina NERR!  Read more here .
Lena Ritter & The Permuda Island Reserve
The Permuda Island Reserve is a beautiful place enjoyed by boaters and paddlers alike. However, if it were not for the fierce advocacy by a local fisherman and her deep love of this environment, Permuda Island might look very different today.

Read more about the Permuda Island Reserve and the work of Lena Ritter to protect it here.
Educators Explore Estuaries in the Coastal Explorations Workshop
One of the focuses of the Reserve's education program is to provide professional development opportunities for educators. Our education coordinator, Lori Davis, regularly offers programs aimed at formal and non-formal educators. These programs teach about coastal and estuarine ecosystems to improve estuarine literacy among educators and subsequently their students. 

The Reserve's Coastal Explorations Workshop is offered to educators in North Carolina who would like to learn more about the Reserve program and about estuaries and their importance. The workshop highlights the Reserve's curricula and includes a trip to a Reserve site and/or hands-on demonstrations of educational activities. Read more here.
A Year's Worth of Workshops from the Coastal Training Program
The North Carolina (N.C.) Coastal Training Program provides coastal decision-makers and professionals with science-based training opportunities to promote informed decision making regarding N.C.'s coastal resources. The target audience for these trainings is varied, from local officials and real estate professionals to resource managers and non-profit organizations. Training participants benefit from access to relevant scientific research and training presented by local experts. These trainings improve their understanding of the coastal environment and the impact of local decisions on coastal resources. 

In 2016, the Coastal Training Program organized nine workshops on diverse topics that reached a total of 344 coastal decision-makers. Read more about the topics and themes of those workshops here.
Friends of the Reserve Board Reactivated
The Friends of the Reserve (FOR) is a non-profit organization that supports stewardship of North Carolina's estuarine and coastal habitats through the N.C. Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve's education, research and stewardship programs. FOR is a 501 (c)(3) and can accept private tax-deductible donations to pay for projects that support the Reserve's mission. 

FOR reorganized in July 2016 with two returning board members and eight new board members. The new board is energetic and enthusiastic with a broad range of knowledge and experience.


Upcoming Events
May 24:
Low Impact Development Basics for Water Quality Protection - A workshop for real estate professionals

May 25:
Watershed Planning: Strategies and Tools to Protect and Restore Coastal Water Quality Workshop

June 8:
Community Paddle at the Masonboro Island Reserve

June 23:
Community Paddle at the Masonboro Island Reserve

Summer Public Field Trips at the Rachel Carson Reserve:

June 13 - Boardwalk Trip
June 15 - Nature Hike
June 22 - Boardwalk Trip
June 27 - Boardwalk Trip
June 29 - Nature Hike
July 6 - Boardwalk Trip
July 11 - Circumnavigation Cruise
July 13 - Boardwalk Trip
July 25 - Circumnavigation Cruise
July 27 - Boardwalk Trip
Aug. 3 - Nature Hike
Aug. 10 - Boardwalk Trip
Aug. 15 - Nature Hike
Aug. 17 - Nature Hike
Aug. 22 - Circumnavigation Cruise
Aug. 24 - Boardwalk Trip


Information about all of these events is available on the event calendar.
Welcoming Our New Stewardship and Education Specialist!
Elizabeth Colhoun is originally from Apex, NC and attended UNC-Wilmington for her undergraduate degree in Oceanography. While at UNCW she worked as a summer intern with the Coastal Reserve assisting in the sea turtle monitoring program on Masonboro Island. From there she went on to Ft. Lauderdale to pursue her Master's degree in Marine Biology at Nova Southeastern University. During her time in Florida she worked for USGS as a research assistant with most of the work focusing on benthic organisms and seagrass health in the Port of Miami. This past summer she worked as a sea turtle specialist for the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program and had hands on experience with nesting and hatching turtles on a regular basis. She is currently finishing her thesis on research conducted with USGS and looking forward to being back in North Carolina with the Coastal Reserve.  

Masonboro Island Reserve YouTube Videos
One of our talented interns, Robert Seagle, created four amazing videos showcasing various aspects of the Masbonboro Island Reserve and the work that is conducted on the site.

Please check them out by clicking the links below!




Facebook Favorites 
One of the most significant features of the Bald Head Woods Reserve is the extremely old, large trees in the maritime forest. Live oak and laurel oak are the major species, comprising a canopy that shelters the plants from salt spray.

This fantastic article describes the recently published research by the North Carolina Sea Grant/North Carolina Coastal Reserve Coastal Research Fellow, Seth Theuerkauf, that looked into how an invasive species of marsh grass might affect ecosystem services in two of the Reserve sites.

Read more here.
#StaffSaturday! Reserve Coastal Training Program Coordinator, Whitney Kurz Jenkins, loves the Rachel Carson Reserve because it is a protected place where horseshoe crabs can be found.

#MyReserveOurCoasts
The wild horses at the Rachel Carson Reserve are beautiful!

Do you know how to keep yourself and the horses safe when you visit the Reserve?