nerrs.noaa.gov - Background

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a partnership of NOAA and coastal states to study and protect vital coastal and estuarine resources.

Overview Funding History Management Plans & Site Profiles Key Documents & Partners Strategic Plan Legislation		Regulations Designation + Process + Future Designations + Bioregions + Bioregions Map

Reserve research and monitoring programs provide a robust foundation for effective national, regional, and local coastal zone management.

System-Wide + Overview of Research & Monitoring + System-wide Monitoring Program + NERRS Science Collaborative Opportunities + Graduate Research Fellowships		Resources + Research & Monitoring Data + Research Monitoring Products + Research Partners + Contact Research Coordinators Reserve-based + Reserve Research

Graduate Fellows use reserves as living laboratories to address coastal management needs in the natural and social sciences.

System-Wide + Program Background + FAQs Opportunities + Openings + Program Application + Announcements		Resources + Final Report Library + Current Fellows Reserve-based + Current Fellows + Coordinator Directory

Reserves provide educational & outreach activities that advance estuary literacy and engage educators, students and the general public to practice coastal stewardship.

System-Wide + Education Network + Estuaries.noaa.gov Opportunities + K-12 Education Programs + Community Education + Public Outreach + How You Can Help		Resources + About Estuaries + Videos & Games + Real-time Data & Maps + Publications Reserve-based + Reserve Education

The Coastal Training Program provides science-based information and training to support those who make decisions that affect coastal resources.

System-Wide + Overview + Audiences + Coastal Management Issues Opportunities + Key Partners + Training Calendar		Resources + Case Studies + Training Profiles + Publications Reserve-based + Reserve CTP

Reserve Stewardship programs integrate science, monitoring and communities to protect, manage, and restore coastal habitats.

System-Wide + Ecological Changes + Water Quality + Habitat Alteration Opportunities + Restoration + Mapping + Land Acquisition		Resources + Habitat Mapping and Change + Restoration Science + Land Acquisition + Publications Reserve-based + Reserve Stewardship

- News and listings of events, activities and achievements from throughout the National Estuarine Research Reserve System.
  
  NERRS News
  CTP Calendar & Events

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System protects more than 1.3 million acres in 28 reserves in 22 states and Puerto Rico.

Northeast + Wells, ME + Great Bay, NH + Waquoit Bay, MA + Narragansett Bay, RI + Hudson River, NY Mid Atlantic + Jacques Cousteau, NJ + Delaware + Chesapeake Bay, MD + Chesapeake Bay, VA Southeast + North Carolina + North Inlet-Winyah, SC + ACE Basin, SC + Sapelo Island, GA + GTM, FL		Great Lakes + Old Woman Creek, OH + Lake Superior, WI Caribbean + Jobos Bay, PR Gulf of Mexico + Rookery Bay, FL + Apalachicola, FL + Weeks Bay, AL + Grand Bay, MS + Mission-Aransas, TX West Coast + Kachemak Bay, AK + Padilla Bay, WA + South Slough, OR + San Francisco, CA + Elkhorn Slough, CA + Tijuana River, CA

Home > Background

Background

NERRS Strategic Plan

Protected Places

The Reserve System is a place-based network of 28 protected areas located along the Nation’s coasts,
including the Great Lakes. Reserves protect more 1.3 million acres of habitat in estuaries and coastal watersheds.

GOAL: Estuaries and coastal watersheds are better protected and managed by implementing place-based approaches at Reserves.

OBJECTIVES:

Increase permanent protection and restoration of key areas in reserve watersheds to improve coastal habitat quantity, quality, and resiliency to climate change impacts.
Develop, demonstrate, and evaluate tools and practices at reserves that advance progress on habitat
protection, water quality, and climate change impacts.
Expand biogeographic representation of the Nation’s estuaries in the Reserve System by designating new reserves.

PRIORITY STRATEGIES:

Demonstrate best practices in land and estuarine stewardship and climate change adaptation at reserve properties and facilities.
Identify, prioritize, and implement land acquisition and habitat restoration projects taking into account climate change impacts.
Implement engagement programs to promote estuarine resource stewardship.
Designate new reserves in unrepresented biogeographic subregions and states as resources permit.

Last Updated on: Friday, April 15, 2011


Overview Funding History Mgmt Plans & Site Profiles Key Documents & Partners Strategic Plan Legislation Regulations Designation Process Future Designations Bioregions Bioregions Map
	For more information contact Laurie.Mcgilvray@noaa.gov