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New perspective helps combat marine debris at the Rachel Carson Reserve
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The Rachel Carson Reserve has been working closely with the Duke Marine Lab Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab to use drones to identify large marine debris for removal. Learn more about how over 250 volunteers and students removed 13,500+ pounds of marine debris
in this
article featured in CoastWatch
.
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Christopher Moore named 2018 Coastal Research Fellow
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Congratulations to Christopher Moore, the North Carolina Sea Grant and N.C. Coastal Reserve & NERR Coastal Research Fellow! A graduate student under the advisement of Dr.
April Blakeslee at East Carolina University, Moore is exploring if parasites diversity can be used to measure the biodiversity of estuarine ecosystems. Learn more about how he is applying this to understand the effects of habitat restoration
here.
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Building a collaborative network to better understand changes to North Carolina's marsh surface elevation
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Surface Elevation Tables are used to study very small changes in marsh surface elevation. There are over 125 in coastal North Carolina that provide critical information on how marshes are changing as a result of sea level rise. In May, the Reserve hosted a meeting with the NOAA Sentinel Site Program to coordinate future efforts examining existing data to understand long term effects of sea level rise trends in the state. Learn more
here.
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Join us for summer field trips!
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Every summer the Rachel Carson Reserve offers free field trips for visitors to explore and learn about the estuarine habitats that are home to a diverse array of coastal species. Join volunteer naturalists from 8:30-10:30 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June, July and August. Last year, over 150 visitors participated in these boardwalk trips, nature hikes, and circumnavigation trips around the reserve. Learn more
here
.
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Remember all of our sites are remote, so prepare for your visit!
Hydration is particularly important for both you and your pup while visiting the Reserve in the spring and summertime. And remember to keep your furry friend leashed.
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Welcome summer interns & volunteers!
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Every summer, the staff at the Reserve doubles in size as summer interns and seasonal employees join offices in Beaufort, Kitty Hawk, and Wilmington to help the Reserve with a variety of projects. Positions are offered directly through the Reserve and the
State of North Carolina Internship Program. Many students also volunteer with the Reserve, with some receiving college credit for their experience.
Summer is a busy time for all Reserve sites, so the extra helping hands are appreciated.
This year interns are working in the general public and summer camp education programs, various site management and research activities including sea turtle and shorebird monitoring, exploring alternative substrates for living shorelines, and a thin-layer deposition marsh enhancement project. Keep an eye out on social media to learn more about our summer interns and volunteers!
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The southern twayblade orchid is found in damp forests and open bogs, and relies on symbiotic fungi for its food. Because it is so tiny and lacks chlorophyll, it can be hard to spot on the forest floor.
But, as one of the few things that is in blooms in late winter, searching for them makes a great treasure hunt hike at the Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve!
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The living shoreline is working hard to help protect Pivers Island from erosion with the 45 mph winds we have at the Reserve headquarters in Beaufort today! You can see how the granite sill (submerged near the wooden pilings) and marsh are slowing down the wave energy compared to the waves crashing on bulkhead in the background.
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