30 Places to Discover, a Community to Join

Every National Estuarine Research Reserve begins with the passion of someone like you. At 30 Reserves—soon to be 32—thousands of us have to come together to form community and build resilience around the places we love. Join us.

36K Heroes

who support Reserves and their mission

48M+ Data Points

Tracking water quality, habitat health, storm damage, and more every year

1.4M Acres

protected, natural lands along the coast

Reserves in Action

Stories from the front lines of a changing coast.

An Equitable Future

Davidson Fellow Olivia Won integrates social and environmental justice into shoreline planning, because “today’s projects shape tomorrow’s communities.”

Transformational Investment

Reserves receive a catalytic investment in their work to support the coastal communities and lands most at risk from climate change.

News from Around the System

Estuaries Week Turns 35!

Coastal restoration organizations, federal and state agencies, and Members of Congress joined Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE), NERRA, and the Association of National Estuary Programs (NEP) to celebrate National Estuaries Week 2023!

Making Way for Wetlands

Wetlands around the country are increasingly threatened by rising seas, stronger storms, more extreme precipitation, and drought. Planning to protect these precious resources while addressing the needs of communities …

Hudson River Makeover

New York’s Hudson River is getting a makeover. You can see it while strolling along Yonkers’ new esplanade, waiting for the ferry in Cold Harbor, or picnicking in Haverstraw Bay Park.

DC Download: August 2023

Congressional staff visit Reserves! Earlier this month, nine House staff members and Knauss Fellows visited the Chesapeake Bay Reserve in Virginia to see their monitoring, restoration, research, and community engagement first hand.

Kids Teaching Kids

Picture this: children, elders, and other members from the Wampanoag Tribe teaching non-indigenous children and adults about their traditional food, music, dancing, and crafts. Sound inspiring? Educators at the Waquoit Bay Reserve thought so, too.

Waiting for Slimy Signs of Spring

The American eel is soooo misunderstood. It’s not electric, dangerous, or nearly as slimy as people think—and what’s wrong with slime anyway?

NERRA’S MISSION

Reserves and their friends groups rely on NERRA to help enhance successful programs, strengthen the network, and enable reserves to better address challenges to our nation’s estuaries, coasts, and communities. NERRA communicates the funding needs and priorities of Reserves to Congress and federal agencies and educates the general public about the importance of estuaries and coasts.