Happy Holidays!
Hurricane Florence: response and recovery
The eye of Hurricane Florence passed directly over Masonboro Island and Zeke's Island Reserves on September 14th. Reserve staff worked hard to prepare for the storm and recover from the impacts to each reserve site. The reserve has also played an active role in safely removing derelict vessels throughout the state while minimizing damage to the environment. Learn more about the impacts and recovery efforts.
New tool makes  oyster r estoration easier
Maps of historic oyster reefs used to be a major guide in siting new restoration projects, but due to changing conditions, legacy locations are not always the best place for new reefs. Research Coordinator Dr. Brandon Puckett was part of a collaborative team that created a new oyster mapping tool. The oyster habitat model helps restoration managers identify what might be feasible today.  See the full article from Coastal Review Online . 
Reserve staff earn awards
This year, two of our staff members were recognized for their great work at the Reserve and in the community!
 
Coastal Training Program coordinator Whitney Jenkins  was awarded the  NC Department of Environmental Quality's Distinguished Employee Award! In her work she provides coastal leaders and professionals with science-based training to promote informed decisions about our coastal resources. Whitney also received the National Estuarine Research Reserve System's Cathy Angell Communication Award for bringing diverse stakeholders together to make environmental improvements to local coastal communities as well as for incorporating communication best practices in her outreach activities.
 
Paula Gillikin, central sites manager, received the Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service for her volunteer work in Carteret County! Paula started a spay-neuter program to help humanely reduce the cat population in eastern Carteret County. She volunteers with the Guardian ad Litem program that advocates for abused and neglected children through the court system. Paula is also helping to establish the Bonehenge Whale Center in Beaufort and has volunteered for numerous other animal care organizations.
 
Way to go, Whitney and Paula! We are lucky to have you as a part of the Reserve!
Upcoming Events
Jan 15th:  Social Science Basics for Coastal Managers (Beaufort)

Feb 19th:  Promoting Living Shorelines for Erosion Control for real estate professionals, property owners, & homeowner associations (Wanchese)

Feb 20th: Promoting Living Shorelines for Erosion Control for marine contractors, engineers, landscape architects, land use planners, floodplain managers, and other professionals 
(Wanchese)

Visit our event calendar for more information about upcoming events.
In the news
Candid Critters program captures wildlife in photos on Bird Island Reserve

Reserve staff part of coast-wide emergency effort to remove derelict vessels
Summer Internships

Applications are currently being accepted through the  State of North Carolina Internship Program . N.C. undergraduates can apply as a Research and Stewardship Intern (#35) or Education Intern (#36) at our Beaufort office, or a Research, Monitoring, & Stewardship Intern (#40) in Kitty Hawk. Applications are due January 14th, 2019.

Keep an eye out on our  social media pages for future seasonal job postings!
Northern Sites Manager position opens in 2019
The Reserve will be hiring a new northern sites manager in 2019! The job will be posted on the North Carolina state jobs board and will be advertised on our social media pages. 
Reserve spotlight: Buxton Woods Reserve
The 1,007-acre Buxton Woods Reserve is a state site found on Hatteras Island in the southern Outer Banks adjacent to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Also a Dedicated Nature Preserve ,  the site is a series of relict sand dunes located within the largest remaining contiguous tract of maritime evergreen forest on the Atlantic coast. Buxton Woods also plays a key role in protecting the only source of fresh water for Hatteras Island.
 
The mix of warm and cool currents off the coast of Cape Hatteras support a rich diversity of subtropical and temperate species. Buxton Woods is the home to two rare butterflies (Northern Hairstreak and Giant Swallowtail) and the Buxton Woods white-footed mouse subspecies. The reserve also has the only occurrence of maritime shrub swamp community in the world.
 
Visitors can explore the reserve on trails that extend throughout, some of which connect into the National Seashore. Experience the elevation change and views of the relict dune ridge-swale system. Enjoy Jennette's Sedge, a freshwater marsh bisecting the woods located in a broad swale. Visit our Buxton Woods Reserve page for more information about the site.
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What a pleasure it was to have NC Department of Environmental Quality 's Secretary Michael Regan on the  Rachel Carson Reserve  with our Seashore Life summer campers! Thanks for stopping by and we hope you enjoyed the pickleweed!
An unexpected visitor was sighted at Masonboro last month. Manatees are becoming more common in our area as water temperatures stay warmer for longer. They can be found grazing on seagrass in shallow waters. 

The N.C. Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve is a program of the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, a division of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.  The N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve is managed through a federal-state partnership between NOAA and the N.C. Division of Coastal Management.

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