Currituck Banks

One of the four North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserves, Currituck Banks operates as a living laboratory for research, education and management.

Preview your trip on the web: Currituck Banks

Learn more

• The Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds Students can learn about watersheds and how to protect the nation's water resources.
• Lesson plan: Pollution plume The students will simulate a plume to illustrate point source and non-point source pollution.
• National Estuary Program This site contains a weath of data on the estuaries of the United State as well as information on what estuarys are and the animals that inhabit thses important areas.
• Lesson plan: StreamWatch This lesson is intended as a long term project to determine the overall health of a stream or wetland. Students identify seasonal changes that occur within the ecosystem, ideally with a minimum of bimonthly or monthly monitoring.
• Lesson plan: Changing with the tide Students will learn about and act out the functions of the salt marsh habitat.

Related pages

• Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education: Students will learn the importance of North Carolina's wildlife resources at this environmental education facility.
• Fort Fisher State Recreation Area: The Fort Fisher program introduces students to the habitat and life history of "colonial-nesting coastal birds." The program also focuses on endangered, threatened and special-concern bird species.

• Zeke's Island North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve: Part of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, Zeke's Island has interpreter led field trips which focus on the importance of estuaries to the North Carolina coast.

Related topics

• Learn more about Currituck County, Estuarine Research Reserves, North Carolina, biology and life science, birds, ecology, environmental science, estuaries, fish, habitats, invertebrates, marshes, nature center, science, and water quality.

Legal

Part of the North Carolina Coastal Reserve Program, Currituck Banks is designated as one of four sites in the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Coastal Reserves operate as living laboratories for research, education and management.

When visiting Currituck Banks, take the 1/3 mile boardwalk which begins at the parking lot and leads to a view of Currituck Sound. A 1.5 mile primitive trail departs from the boardwalk and heads north through a maritime forest.

NC DENR provides lesson plans and videos for pre-visit activities. See the Teachers & Students area of the website.

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