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.

Did You Know…

The Edisto River, which flows through the ACE Basin Reserve, is one of the longest blackwater rivers in the world.

Latest News from the ACE Basin Reserve

Making Way for Wetlands

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 …

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Science for a Changing Fishery

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 …

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Talk NERRdy to Me: Julie Binz

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.

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ACE Basin Reserve, South Carolina