Tidal Flat

Sea Turtles at Masonboro Island Reserve 2024

To learn more about the sea turtle monitoring that occurs on Masonboro Island Reserve, check out this resource: https://arcg.is/104vi10

The Coastal Reserve welcomes Margaret A. Davidson Fellow recipient, Mina Surprenant

The North Carolina Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve is excited to welcome NOAA Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship recipient Mina Surprenant, a PhD student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Through this fellowship, Mina will integrate drone technology with computational models to evaluate salt marsh responses to sea-level rise. This fellowship will enhance her dissertation by providing an additional dimension for predicting how marshes adapt to changing sea levels.

Andrew McMains: Researching the impact of dredging on fish movement around the Rachel Carson Reserve

From an eager biomedical engineering student at UNC-Chapel Hill who switched his studies to environmental science at the University of Montana - Western, Andrew McMains tells us how he found his passion and path to pursuing his PhD in fisheries science. With the NC Sea Grant and NC Coastal Reserve Coastal Research Fellowship, he’s researching the impacts of dredging on fish movement around the Rachel Carson Reserve using novel sampling methods.

Summer 2024 N.C. Coastal Reserve Interns

Interns in our Northern Sites and Southern Sites offices completed their internship in August. We asked them to reflect on this summer’s experiences. Keep reading to hear how their internship experiences shaped them, they've got some great stories to share!

Working to Reintroduce and Stabilize Seabeach Amaranth Populations

Seabeach amaranth is a federally threatened plant species that is native to the North Carolina coast.  This important species contributes to the natural building of dune systems and acts as an indicator of healthy beach ecosystems along the U.S. Atlantic coast.

Summer 2024 Rachel Carson Reserve Interns

This summer, the Rachel Carson Reserve had three outstanding interns. They contributed to our mission and learned a lot along the way. Below they each share a bit of advice or memories from their experience.

State encourages safe and responsible behavior while visiting Masonboro Island Reserve during July Fourth holiday

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office are urging the public to act responsibly during the upcoming July Fourth holiday at the Masonboro Island Reserve, a research reserve and dedicated state nature preserve.

2024 Summer Intern Welcome

Please join us in welcoming our 2024 summer interns! We're looking forward to a fun-filled summer!

N.C. Coastal Reserve celebrates Discover the N.C. Coastal Reserve tour with stop at Rachel Carson Reserve

The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), a program of the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management, hosted its third stop on the “Discover the N.C. Coastal Reserve” Tour on May 17 at the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort, NC. The tour began with brief remarks by staff, local and state officials at the chapel at the Beaufort Hotel, followed by a guided boat tour, with a stop at the Carrot Island boardwalk.

Community Science Month: How to Participate

So, you want to be a scientist? What if I said you can, and that it’s easy?! I’m talking about participating in community science, regardless of age, background, or experience. Anyone, including you, can be a community scientist.