Padilla Bay Reserve, Washington

State

Washington

State Partner

Washington State Department of Ecology

Acres

11,000

Est. Date

1980

The Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve’s 11,000 acres of diverse coastal lands are home to many species of birds and fish, as well as harbor seals and river otters. The Reserve is located on Washington’s Salish Sea at the saltwater delta of the Skagit River. Reserve staff work together with partners to prioritize coastal resource management through research, training, education, and monitoring programs.

Did You Know…

Algae of the intertidal and subtidal areas in the Salish Sea produce twice as much plant material as the most productive crops in the Pacific Northwest.

Latest News from the Padilla Bay Reserve

The Great Octopus Rescue of 2023

The Great Octopus Rescue of 2023

Here’s one for the feel good file: A Giant Pacific octopus stranded on a Washington state beach was saved by a little girl, park staff, and personnel from the Padilla Bay Reserve.

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Talk NERRdy to Me: Dr. Sylvia Yang

Talk NERRdy to Me: Dr. Sylvia Yang

This month, NERRA’s correspondent-on-the-loose Nik Charov chatted with Dr. Sylvia Yang, research coordinator at the Padilla Bay Reserve. They talked about the complexities of science, why estuaries are more cheese than crab, and what mysteries await NERRds traveling to the Annual Meeting…

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15 billion and counting

15 billion and counting

Although the Japanese mud snail (Batillaria attramentaria) has lived in Padilla Bay for nearly 100 years, its population has surged, and scientists at the Padilla Bay Reserve are trying to figure out why.

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Padilla Bay Reserve, Washington