National Estuarine Research Reserve Systems - The Rachel Carson Component
Located in one of North Carolina's fastest growing areas, the Rachel Carson site is a center of marine research and education. The reserve is a diverse and productive estuarine system for birds, mammals, and fish.
Preview your trip on the web: National Estuarine Research Reserve Systems - The Rachel Carson Component
Learn more
- The Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds Students can learn about watersheds and how to protect the nation's water resources.
- Estuary Live Video streaming allows you and your students to take live virtual field trips to the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort, NC. The videos archived for use at any time.
- Lesson plan: Marine sanctuaries Students learn about the national marine sanctuaries found in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and off the coast of American Samoa.
- 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: What's wrong with the oceans? Can photography help? In this lesson from Xpeditions, students will research environmental problems facing the world's oceans and will think about how the art of photography can help solve these problems.
Related pages
- Masonboro Island: One of the four sites of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. Interpreter led field trips must be reserved two seasons ahead. This is a favorite field trip for many teachers.
- Fort Macon State Park: This area of undisturbed natural beauty is the perfect place to explore salt marshes and estuaries vital to the coastal ecosystem. Students can also visit the fort to learn about its historical significance to North Carolina.
- Nags Head Woods: Visit this complex maritime forest ecosystem tucked away on the Outer Banks in Nags Head, North Carolina.
Related topics
- Learn more about Carteret County, North Carolina, biology, ecology, environmental science, estuaries, estuarine research, habitats, marine research, maritime forests, natural history, nature reserves, oceans, salt marshes, science, and tidal flats.
Legal
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As part of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Rachel Carson component is located across from the Beaufort waterfront and is comprised of several islands. It is the center of marine research and education. Habitats found within the site are tidal flats, flooded salt marshes, ocean beach, subtidal soft bottoms, hard surfaces, dredge spoil areas, sand dunes, shrub thicket and maritime forest. The Rachel Carson site can only be visited by boat. Visitors may use their own boat or contact the local boating concessions. Visitors usually land on the sandy beach at the west end of Town Marsh and cross over to Bird Shoals on foot. A trail guide for the Rachel Carson site is available free of charge on the website or at the Reserve education office.
Interpreter led field trips are offered to specific Reserve sites depending on accessibility and staff availability. Plan to make your reservations two seasons ahead of time. Distance learning programs and curriculum materials are available in the Education heading. For more information, e-mail frontdesk@ncnerr.org or phone (252) 728-2170.
