Environmentally Speaking

Explore North Carolina’s wetlands using free online tools

North Carolina has wetlands across the state – along the coast, in the mountains and in the Piedmont. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources has an interactive map showcasing 240 different publicly accessible wetlands across the state. Along with the online map, DWR has launched a printable Wetlands Passport to help the public locate those wetlands and learn more about them.

7th Grade Students Show Their Air Quality Smarts in AQ-IQ Contest

For 20 years, North Carolina 7th grade students have been showing off their air quality knowledge in the annual AQ-IQ contest.

Asthma Resource Guide: Tools for Monitoring Air Quality 

Air pollution can make asthma worse, so it's important to be air aware.

Smoke in the Air! How DAQ Shares Information with the Public about Wildfires

In this blog post, we explore how wildfires start, how smoke affects our health, and how the Division of Air Quality keeps residents informed and safe.

Community Science Month: How to Participate

So, you want to be a scientist? What if I said you can, and that it’s easy?! I’m talking about participating in community science, regardless of age, background, or experience. Anyone, including you, can be a community scientist. 

Tracking Water Quality Where Fresh and Saltwater Meet

Jill Paxson and the DWR Estuarine Monitoring Team travel approximately 300 nautical miles of waterways in a month as they travel up and down streams, rivers and other waterways across the region to conduct sampling. Their domain extends to where the Chowan River empties into the Albemarle Sound, as well as where the Neuse and Pamlico rivers empties into the Pamlico Sound. They respond to harmful algal blooms and fish kills, and recently, even, a clam kill.

DWR’s Asheville Regional Offices launches water quality monitoring after Hurricane Helene

A water quality sampling effort launched in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene helped NCDEQ Division of Water Resources staff identify potential sources of contamination.

DWR biologists release preliminary analysis of Hurricane Helene’s impacts to insects in waterways

A preliminary assessment of insect communities in waterways of western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene demonstrated that in most waterbodies sampled, the variety of species as well as the number of each insect species was generally comparable to before the hurricane. It also identified a few waterways that had declines in the variety of insect species and abundances.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

International Day of Women and Girls in Science was earlier this week and we want to take a moment to highlight some of the incredible women across our agency!

Field site students conduct research at the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort for their capstone project.

Research was conducted on the east end of Carrot Island, one of five islands that make up the Rachel Carson Reserve. Experiments were conducted in the maritime forest, salt marsh, shorelines and on the living shoreline structure. (Photograph by Josh Himmelstein)

How do birds cope with extreme temperatures?

How do birds adjust to stay cool on 100-degree summer days? What about during the winter when it can reach below freezing? Juan Zuluaga is on a mission to find out.

Marine Patrol Drone Helps Lawmen on the Ground Find Suspect Hiding in the Woods

Jan. 9 is Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and we’re touting some of the feats of our N.C. Marine Patrol, part of DEQ’s Division of Marine Fisheries.

In Fond Memory of John O. Fussell III

The North Carolina Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve is thankful for John’s friendship and long-term unwavering service to the preservation and appreciation of North Carolina’s coastal natural resources. We are particularly grateful for his professional and volunteer work on Reserve sites, and to honor him, we would like to reflect on highlights of his years of work in these natural areas.

Summer 2025 Internship Opportunities

Spread the word! The North Carolina Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve has three internship positions open. Interested applicants can learn more about the Reserve on our website and our social media channels.

From the Sea to the Mountains

The Marine Patrol Swift Water Rescue Team deployed for about a week to the western North Carolina to assist with Hurricane Helene safety efforts. This was the first deployment of the Swift Water Rescue Team, certified in 2021 after several years of training, that resulted in real-life safety missions and rescues.