{"id":244455,"date":"2026-05-07T07:01:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=244455"},"modified":"2026-05-07T13:25:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T17:25:51","slug":"protecting-and-restoring-the-southeastern-connecticut-shoreline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/05\/protecting-and-restoring-the-southeastern-connecticut-shoreline\/","title":{"rendered":"Protecting and Restoring the Southeastern Connecticut Shoreline"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Celebrating\u00a0its\u00a0fourth\u00a0anniversary,\u00a0the\u00a0Connecticut\u00a0National Estuarine\u00a0Research\u00a0Reserve (CTNERR)\u00a0is\u00a0putting\u00a0funding\u00a0into action\u00a0to\u00a0create positive\u00a0environmental impacts\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0Connecticut River\u00a0estuary and eastern\u00a0Long Island Sound.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">CTNERR is committed\u00a0to\u00a0protecting\u00a0and\u00a0studying\u00a0more than\u00a052,000 acres\u00a0of subtidal area and state-owned land. This\u00a0reserve\u00a0includes\u00a050,000 acres\u00a0across the\u00a0Long Island Sound\u00a0shoreline\u00a0and extending\u00a0into\u00a0parts of the lower Connecticut and Thames Rivers.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Land-based sites include UConn Avery Point, Pine Island Preserve, Haley Farm State Park, and\u00a0the\u00a0Bluff Point\u00a0property. These coastal areas provide essential habitat for wildlife, offer educational opportunities, and serve as living laboratories for scientists and students.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Focusing on\u00a0research, education,\u00a0training,\u00a0and stewardship of estuarine ecosystems<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2022\/05\/exploring-the-estuary-a-tour-of-the-nations-newest-research-reserve\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">CTNERR was established in 2022<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, joining a network of reserves across the country dedicated to research and preservation.\u00a0The many functions of the Reserve include:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Preserving\u00a0\u201cliving\u00a0laboratories\u201d\u00a0that\u00a0provide meaningful, hands-on experiences for teachers and learners of all ages.\u00a0The\u00a0Education\u00a0Program continues to\u00a0expand classroom resources for educators, including loan kits, to bring tangible, place-based lessons into schools.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Training\u00a0and Engagement delivers science-based tools, information, and skills to coastal decision makers\u00a0in\u00a0communities in\u00a0southeastern Connecticut\u00a0through place-based learning.\u00a0Training and Engagement\u00a0staff are\u00a0leading\u00a0the Long Island Sound Eelgrass Collaborative,\u00a0a\u00a0shared initiative\u00a0between Connecticut and New York\u00a0that provides\u00a0guidance towards eelgrass\u00a0meadow\u00a0management and\u00a0restoration.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Stewardship\u00a0builds\u00a0programs and partnerships\u00a0at the regional and local level to conserve and restore\u00a0coastal\u00a0habitats\u00a0while promoting\u00a0equitable\u00a0access to coastal resources.\u00a0Recently, the Stewardship\u00a0Program\u00a0completed three years of field work to\u00a0identify\u00a0and map\u00a0invasive plants at Bluff Point, Haley Farm, Great Island, and Lord Cove.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Research\u00a0and\u00a0monitoring\u00a0supports\u00a0and conducts\u00a0applied research, assessments, and\u00a0long-term\u00a0monitoring within the\u00a0Reserve\u00a0ensuring science informs effective management\u00a0of water quality and\u00a0estuarine\u00a0habitats.\u00a0Reserves across the nation\u00a0also\u00a0support a\u00a0System Wide Monitoring Program\u00a0to collect\u00a0and share\u00a0long-term biotic and abiotic data\u00a0on\u00a0estuarine\u00a0health and trends\u00a0to researchers,\u00a0resource managers,\u00a0educators, and coastal decision-makers.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Delivering impact through action<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/02\/241123\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">CTNERR\u00a0recently secured nearly $2.9 million in federal funding<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0for a\u00a0restoration\u00a0project at Bluff Point\u00a0State Park.\u00a0This\u00a0project\u00a0will replace two culverts, improve access and functionality of the park\u2019s main trail for visitors, and\u00a0maintain\u00a0the integrity of the park\u2019s critical salt marsh habitat.\u00a0The project was approved in late 2025 and will run through 2028,\u00a0with a possible one-year extension.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Each year,\u00a0the\u00a0CTNERR\u00a0Education Team\u00a0hosts\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>Teachers\u00a0on\u00a0the Estuary\u00a0(TOTE)<span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0workshop, designed to introduce educators to new knowledge, skills, and place-based learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.\u00a0Past workshops have\u00a0included \u201cA Bird\u2019s Eye View,\u201d\u00a0focusing on\u00a0how environmental changes\u00a0impact\u00a0local bird populations and\u00a0\u201cA Tale of Two Rivers,\u201d\u00a0which\u00a0explored\u00a0the\u00a0history and ecology of the\u00a0Thames and Connecticut Rivers\u00a0\u2013 two large but very distinct riverine systems.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Research boundaries\u00a0encompass\u00a053% of Connecticut\u2019s existing eelgrass beds and 37% of the beds across\u00a0Long Island Sound and Fishers Island Sound.\u00a0As a result, the NERR\u2019s Training and Engagement Program\u00a0helps fund\u00a0the Long\u00a0Island Sound Eelgrass Collaborative,\u00a0with\u00a0assistance\u00a0from\u00a0the Long Island Sound\u00a0Partnership.\u00a0Program goals include\u00a0identifying\u00a0management and regulatory barriers to eelgrass restoration and improving coordination among partners to better understand interactions between eelgrass and aquaculture.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">National system with local roots <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The CTNERR\u00a0marked its fourth anniversary\u00a0earlier this year, celebrating its Designation Day on Jan.\u00a014. The Connecticut Reserve is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System,\u00a0established\u00a0more than\u00a050 years ago as a state\/federal partnership.\u00a0In Connecticut, the CTNERR exists as a center within the UConn\u00a0campus at Avery Point and works in close coordination with the Connecticut Dept of Energy\u00a0and\u00a0Environmental Protection.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Each Reserve in the System was\u00a0designated\u00a0to protect and study estuarine ecosystems where fresh and saltwater mix, while building strong, collaborative relationships with communities within their boundaries.\u00a0The Research Reserve system aims to deliver nationally relevant science and management by working collaboratively to address locally significant issues.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Connecting people, places, and science<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The CTNERR collaborates with organizations such as\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Connecticut Sea Grant,\u00a0and local partners to advance science-based conservation throughout Long Island Sound and Southeastern Connecticut, building partnerships along the way. Since beginning operations in 2022, the Reserve has conducted 21 trainings courses for\u00a0more than\u00a0700 local and state decision-makers, delivered educational programs to\u00a0more than\u00a02,400 students,\u00a0educators,\u00a0and community members, and led 11 research studies within the Reserves boundaries.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Building on this momentum, The Reserve is poised to expand its impact through continued collaboration, innovative research, and meaningful education.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>To learn more about the Reserve, visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/s.uconn.edu\/ctreserve\">https:\/\/s.uconn.edu\/ctreserve<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Connecticut Estuarine Research Reserve is providing important outreach and education on critical environmental preservation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":186161,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2224,2304,2650,2199,2648,2076,2387,2235,173],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[2381],"class_list":["post-244455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cahnr","category-extension","category-blue-impact","category-new-london-county","category-blue-research","category-research","category-sustainability","category-today-homepage","category-uconn-avery-point"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-14 14:17:50","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244455","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244455"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244455\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":245507,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244455\/revisions\/245507"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/186161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244455"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244455"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=244455"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=244455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}