Protecting estuaries is an important aspect of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. Good estuary health provides many benefits for the natural and built environment, not the least of which is the ability to act as an effective buffer against rising seas and storm events. The reserves employ an active stewardship program to keep each of the system’s nearly 1.4 million acres productive.
While each reserve has the ability and responsibility to address site-specific coastal management issues, many stewardship activities are common throughout the network, including
A standardized classification scheme is used to map reserve habitats and monitor landscape-scale changes over time. Habitat maps follow the guidelines set forth in the reserve system's Habitat Mapping and Change Plan and Standard Operating Procedures. All maps are consistent with the reserves' classification scheme and associated documentation and implementation protocols.
Reserves use their data and expertise to test innovative restoration strategies, such as those shown in this Story Map.
Acquisition projects are focused on protecting key estuarine and coastal habitats, maintaining biodiversity, and enhancing habitat connectivity.
Other stewardship efforts focus on applying science to land and water management, managing invasive species, reducing environmental stressors, and monitoring habitat resilience and change.
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