Research

The Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Maryland (CBNERR-MD or Reserve) is a living classroom and laboratory for Reserve staff, visiting scientists, educators, students, and the general public to explore, learn, conduct research, and volunteer. A main goal of CBNERR-MD’s research program is to promote the use of science to address priority coastal management issues.

CBNERR-MD, along with twenty seven estuarine reserves around the country, serves as a platform for long-term research and monitoring, and as a reference site for comparative studies. Information is collected and made available to stakeholders and natural resource managers to better understand the processes of estuarine ecosystems, their status, and impacts associated with natural events and human activity. This understanding is essential for the management of these highly productive, but threatened ecosystems.

Sampling marsh vegetation at Jug Bay (Credit: L. Carroll)

Our Science

Explore and learn about the interesting research and long-term monitoring projects we are conducting at Otter Point Creek (Bush River), Jug Bay (Patuxent River), and Monie Bay (eastern shore). Our projects range from water quality monitoring to marsh plants to monitoring secretive marsh birds and fish.

Our Data

We invite you to use our data to support research, modeling, management, and/or education goals. Our data could serve as baseline information to start a new research project, to look for interesting trends, to support modeling efforts, or to complement a project already in progress. We hope our data can help you to make a difference!