Topics Related to Coastal Reserve

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, the Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public comment on the initial determinations and its existing rules in 15A NCAC 07O – North Carolina Coastal Reserve. Public comment means written comments objecting to the rule, in whole or in part, or objecting to the initial determination of the rule as necessary or unnecessary.

The Buxton Woods Reserve site of the North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve is now open to visitors after closing Aug. 18 due to the threat of damage from Hurricane Erin, and to protect public safety from the potential risk of downed trees, flooding and other hazards.

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 at the Tryon Palace - History Center, 529 S. Front St., New Bern. The regular business meeting of the CRC will be called to order at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 27 and will resume at 9 a.m. on Aug. 28. A public input and comment period is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Aug. 27. At the chair’s discretion, comments may be limited to 3 minutes per person. The public may attend the CRC meeting in person or join online.

The Buxton Woods Reserve site of the North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve will close to visitors beginning Aug. 19 at 8 a.m. until further notice due to the threat of damage from Hurricane Erin, and to protect public safety from the potential risk of downed trees, flooding and other hazards.

The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will meet Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 at the Tryon Palace - History Center, 529 S. Front St., New Bern. The regular business meeting of the CRC will be called to order at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 27 and will resume at 9 a.m. on Aug. 28. A public input and comment period is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Aug. 27. At the chair’s discretion, comments may be limited to 3 minutes per person. The public may attend the CRC meeting in person or join online.

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

The afternoon on the second day of our Teachers on the Estuary workshop involved games and candy money. Our Training Coordinator, Whitney Jenkins, brought out her favorite game to teach folks about watershed management.  

Read part 1 here.Mina Surprenant is the N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve’s 2024-2026 Margaret A. Davidson fellow. This two-year fellowship funds a graduate student's research that addresses a key reserve management need, helping scientists and communities understand coastal challenges. Mina, a PhD student in the University of North Carolina - Wilmington’s Wetland Ecology Lab, is studying the effects of sea-level rise on our tidal marshes using drones to visualize change. 

Playing games? Learning about science? And receiving a stipend for it? That’s what 13 North Carolina teachers got to do for two days in June at the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort, N.C.  

Please join us in welcoming our 2025 summer interns!