ACE Basin Reserve, South Carolina
State
South Carolina
State Partner
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Acres
99,308
Est. Date
1992
South Carolina’s ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve gets its name from the three rivers that meet at St. Helena Sound—the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto. The Reserve’s 99,308 acres of pine and hardwood upland, oyster reef, forested wetland, barrier islands, cypress swamp, and tidal marsh combine to make this one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast and home to many endangered species. The Reserve partners with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to restore oyster reefs that can be found alongside tidal marshes, which in turn keep the coastal water clean and protect local communities.
Latest News from the ACE Basin Reserve
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 …
Science for a Changing Fishery
Many people in the Southeast depend on the shrimp industry for their livelihoods. However, the annual catch for white and brown shrimp—which together bring in more than $400 million …
Talk NERRdy to Me: Julie Binz
This month, NERRA’s roving reporter Nik Charov spoke with Julie Binz, manager at the ACE Basin Reserve in South Carolina. They talked about confounding geography, environmental education, human dimensions, and a certain graduate program every wannabe-NERRd should know.