Skip to main content
NC DEQ logo NC DEQ

Topical Navigation

  • Home
  • Divisions
    Divisions
    • Air Quality
    • Coastal Management
    • Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources
    • Environmental Assistance and Customer Service
    • Environmental Education and Public Affairs
    • Marine Fisheries
    • Mitigation Services
    • Waste Management
    • Water Infrastructure
    • Water Resources
  • Permits & Rules
    Permits & Rules
    • Permit Directory
    • State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
    • Express Permitting
    • DEQ Forms
    • Permit Assistance and Guidance
    • Rules & Regulations
    • Enforcement
    • NC DEQ ePayments
    • DEQ Permitting Transformation Program
    • Environmental Application Tracker
    • Pre-Regulatory Landfills Map
    • Title VI Compliance
    • Risk-Based Remediation
  • Outreach & Education
    Outreach & Education
    • N.C. Environmental Education
    • Distance Learning - Environmental Education
    • Environmental Justice
    • Educator Resources
    • Recognition Programs
    • Public Involvement Programs
    • Training
    • Recreation
    • Research
    • Grants
    • Conservation
    • Recycling
  • Energy & Climate
    Energy & Climate
    • Energy Group
    • Climate Change
    • Community Solar
    • Energy Assurance
    • Energy Efficiency and Weatherization
    • Energy Resilience
    • Transportation
    • Workforce Development
    • Offshore Wind Development
  • News
    News
    • Press Releases
    • Public Information Contacts
    • Environmentally Speaking Blog
    • Public Notices & Hearings
    • Events
    • Key Issues
    • DEQ Dashboard
    • Legislative Reports
    • Requesting Public Records
  • About
    About
    • Our Mission
    • Leadership
    • Boards and Commissions
    • Divisions
    • Green Square
    • Contact
    • Work at DEQ
  • NC.GOV
  • AGENCIES
  • JOBS
  • SERVICES
NC DEQ »   About »   Divisions »   Coastal Management »   N.C. Coastal Reserve »   Education »   School and Group Field trips

School and Group Field trips

Rachel Carson Reserve Field Trips

The Reserve's Education Coordinator leads two different types of field trips on the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort. We offer a 2-hour, guided nature hike across the western end of the island and a 2-hour boat ride with a short visit to our boardwalk at the east end of the island. Both trips require reservations at least two weeks in advance. Information about the different field trips is given below.

To schedule a guided field trip please contact Education Coordinator, Lori Davis, at 252-838-0883.

Guided Nature Hikes

Scheduling

Guided walking field trips by Reserve educators are subject to staff availability and low tides. Education staff will provide you with several suitable dates when you call or email to ensure availability and proper tides. Notify the staff of your instructional objectives as some activities require greater teacher preparation.

Student walking field trips are scheduled Monday through Friday from April 1 - October 31 on a first come, first served basis. The maximum number of individuals (including teachers and chaperones) that we can accommodate on the Reserve at any one time is limited to 45. Transportation to the island can be done by our boat (free of charge) with our U.S. Coast Guard Certified boat captain or by one of the ferry services on Front Street in Beaufort.

Required Attire

Closed-toe shoes are required for all participants. All participants (students, teachers and chaperones) must wear a life jacket (provided) while on the boat. Wear old clothes suitable for getting wet and muddy. Dress appropriately for the weather. Sunscreen, hats and bottled water are highly recommended. Windbreakers may be necessary during the spring and fall as the site can be considerably windy.

What You Can Expect

Please review the What to Expect: Guided Nature Hike document for more information. 

Boat Ride/Boardwalk Field Trips

Scheduling

Guided boat/boardwalk field trips by Reserve educators are subject to staff availability and low tides. Education staff will provide you with several suitable dates when you call or email to ensure availability and proper tides. Notify the staff of your instructional objectives as some activities require greater teacher preparation. Field trips are scheduled Tuesday through Friday from April 1 - October 31. Boating field trips are limited to 15 people total including teachers/chaperones.

Required Attire

Closed-toe shoes are required for all participants. All participants (students, teachers and chaperones) must wear a life jacket (provided) while on the boat. Wear old clothes suitable for getting wet and muddy. Dress appropriately for the weather. Sunscreen, hats and bottled water are highly recommended. Windbreakers may be necessary during the spring and fall as the site can be considerably windy.

What You Can Expect

Please review the What to Expect: Boat Ride/Boardwalk document for more information. 

Island Explorers Program at the Masonboro Island Reserve

The Masonboro Island Reserve is involved in a pilot program called Masonboro Island Explorers for fifth-grade students in New Hanover County. The program is a partnership between the Reserve and Masonboro.org, a non-profit promoting responsible use of Masonboro Island, and is based on a field trip Masonboro.org led for Wrightsville Beach Elementary fifth graders in Fall 2013. The Island Explorers program also incorporates many of the curriculum elements found in the Beaufort-based field trips to the Rachel Carson Reserve, and Reserve educators will develop pre-and post-trip activities and teacher training as the program develops. Masonboro.org has kindly organized many of the trip logistics and will provide boat transportation for the students to reach Masonboro Island for the field trip. For many, the boat ride and field trip will be their first experience exploring estuarine and barrier island habitats, and both partners hope to inspire students to continue learning about the natural world in Wilmington and beyond!

A photo album from the Masonboro Island Explorer's program can be found on the Masonboro Island Reserve's Facebook page. 

Education

  • School and Group Field trips
  • Class and Field Activities
  • Educator Workshops
  • Summer Science School
  • Rachel Carson Reserve Summer Field Trips
  • Educator Resources

Share this page:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

How can we make this page better for you?

Back to top

Contact Us

Physical Address
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
217 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603 Map It
877-623-6748

Mailing Addresses

Work for Us

  • Job Opportunities at DEQ
  • For State Employees
  • DEQ Intranet

Twitter Feed

Tweets by NC DEQ

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • DEQ Employee Directory
  • Translation Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Open Budget
NC DEQ
https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/coastal-management/nc-coastal-reserve/education/school-and-group-field-trips