Coastal Reserve advisory committee meetings set

The North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve is set to hold local advisory committee meetings by web conference later this month and into December.

The North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve system is a network of 10 protected sites established for long-term research, education and stewardship along the state’s coast.

This program protects more than 44,000 acres of estuarine land and water that provides essential habitat for wildlife, offers educational opportunities for students, teachers and the public and serves as living laboratories for scientists.

The public may join the meetings, which are about 90 minutes long, online or by phone.

To join the committee meeting of interest, click on the corresponding link below:

• Masonboro Island Reserve 1 p.m. Nov. 30. Join meeting online.
• Currituck Banks Reserve 10:30 a.m. Dec. 1. Join meeting online.
• Bird Island Reserve 1 p.m. Dec. 1. Join meeting online.
• Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve 10:30 a.m. Dec 2. Join meeting online.
• Bald Head Woods Reserve 1 p.m. Dec. 2. Join meeting online.
• Buxton Woods Reserve 10:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Join meeting online.
• Rachel Carson Reserve 10 a.m. Dec. 6. Join meeting online.
• Buckridge Reserve 10 a.m. Dec. 7. Join meeting online.
• Permuda Island Reserve 10 a.m. Dec. 7. Join meeting online.
• Zeke’s Island Reserve 10:30 a.m. Dec. 8. Join meeting online.

Local advisory committees are made up of citizens and representatives from community organizations, government agencies, and nongovernmental partner organizations that provide the Division of Coastal Management’s Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve staff with guidance and feedback regarding program activities and management of the reserve sites.

A program of the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management under the state Department of Environmental Quality, the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve is managed through a federal-state partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.