Talk NERRdy to Me: Kerstin Wasson
Talk NERRdy to Me is a monthly column about leaders and luminaries from across our 29—soon to be 30—Reserves. This month, NERRA’s correspondent-at-large Nik Charov interviewed Dr. Kerstin Wasson, research coordinator at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve. They talked about marsh making, work marriages, ungrateful and grateful children, Indigenous knowledge, and the non-monetary valuations of mud.
DC Download: November 2021
Thank you to President Biden for signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and to Congress for their bipartisan support. This means $77M for NERRS restoration and conservation over five years—that’s $15M per year!
2021 Annual Meeting
Across the country, NERRds gathered for our second fully virtual Annual Meeting. While we couldn’t gather in person, we’re still basking in the afterglow that comes from spending so much time with other NERRds.
Reserve Gets Gold Star
The Chesapeake Bay Maryland Reserve received the Gold Star Award from the Maryland Coastal Bays Program for its extraordinary work as a partner committed to maintaining the environmental integrity of the Coastal Bays watershed.
Advancing Diversity in Marine Sciences
The inspiration for a new internship program at New Jersey’s Jacques Cousteau Reserve was simple: diversity in science is better for everybody. Creating equal access is important for advancing equality and science is stronger when everybody contributes.
Building the Blue/Green Workforce
An unprecedented number of young people want to work in the environmental sciences. Reserves around the System, in collaboration with the Hollings Scholarship Program, are helping them get the experience they need.
Great Bay Celebrates New Inclusion Garden
Congratulations to the Great Bay Stewards and our New Hampshire Reserve for the new Inclusion Garden at the Discovery Center, the result of a collaboration to transform the grounds into a more accessible and inclusive community space.
DC Download: October 2021
NERRA enthusiastically applauds Senate Appropriations leaders and the entire committee on its FY 2022 Appropriations Bill, which included an increase of $5.5M for a total budget of $34M.
Talk NERRdy to Myself: Confessions of an AuctioNERR
This month, NERRA’s correspondent-at-large Nik Charov interviewed himself, in a ludicrous bid (get it?) to build excitement for the annual NERRA auction, which he somehow got stuck co-managing some years ago. While everyone else was busy doing real work.
Photo Contest Highlights Reserve Beauty in New Hampshire
The Great Bay Stewards celebrated 25 years of service to the bay with a photo contest, with nearly 100 entries illustrating why people care so much about the estuary.
Keeping the Bay Wild—And Accessible
The San Francisco Bay Reserve’s China Camp site is home to a vibrant ecosystem. Unfortunately, barriers can make it difficult for those with disabilities to have the same opportunities to explore.
Teachers Workshop on the Estuary
Oysters, rockweed, and living shorelines, oh my! Ten educators explored the Bay Area’s intertidal zones in a professional development workshop hosted by the San Francisco Bay Reserve.
Nurdle Patrol Without Borders
Thanks to a grant from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program and the Matagorda Bay Mitigation Trust, Nurdle Patrol is expanding into Mexico to help document nurdle pollution and identify those responsible for it.
New Jersey Scientists Bite Back
New Jerseyans aren’t the only ones who enjoy summer days at the beach. Mosquitos are a longstanding nuisance, annoying sunbathers and swimmers. With climate change, the problem is just getting worse.
Portland High Goes to Camp
Nine students from Portland High School received full scholarships to spend a week immersed in the beautiful places protected by the Wells Reserve last summer—all with the support of local scientists and educators.
Boat launch completed at Pokegama Bay
The new boat launch was completed on the St. Louis River estuary, thanks to a partnership between NOAA, the Lake Superior Reserve, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and the city of Superior.
Talk NERRdy to Me: Pete Wiley
Talk NERRdy to Me is a monthly column about leaders and luminaries from across our Reserves. This month, NERRA’s correspondent-at-large Nik Charov interviewed Pete Wiley, Economist at NOAA, former CTP lead, writer-musician, and blogger. They talked about motivation, music and meaning, and life and death. You know, the light stuff.
DC Download: September 2021
A big thank you to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for helping pass National Estuaries Week resolutions this month, Bill Posey, Suzanne Bonamici, Rick Larson, and Brian Mast for supporting in the House, and members of Congress for signing.
Migrant Students Connect with Estuary Monitoring
At the Old Woman Creek Reserve, a new community of students is getting their boots wet gathering data through a new program that serves the children of migrant farmers.
Podcast Transcends Borders
Tune into “Divided Together,” a new podcast created by the Tijuana River Reserve for Border Field State Park, and explore themes of separation and unification in the region’s geography, culture, and ecology.
Donate Items to NERRA Auction Now!
Donate items to the NERRA auction now through October 22nd! And November 1st, prepare to bid on adventurous trips, stylish fashions, sleek monitoring equipment, fun swag, and the best snacks our coasts have to offer…
Data Tells Storm Story
For a community hit by a hurricane, recovery can be a long, traumatic process that begins with understanding the storm’s impacts, which helps communities to become more resilient in the future.
Border Field Park Celebrates 50th
We celebrated the 50th anniversary of California’s Border Field State Park in August, along with our Tijuana River Reserve! We’re looking forward to celebrating the Reserve’s 40th anniversary next year.
Ida Update: NOAA/NERRS Staff Safe
As Hurricane Ida moves across Mississippi, we are tracking its impact on our colleagues.
$4 million awarded for community-driven science
The NERRS Science Collaborative awarded $4 million to tackle a range of community priorities, including water quality monitoring, flood resilience planning, eelgrass management, and science literacy.