June 11th is the centennial birthday of oceanographer, inventor, and environmentalist Jacques Yves Cousteau. He is best known in the US for his television series "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau" which aired from 1968- 1976 chronicling the explorations of his crew aboard the scientific ship Calypso.

Many Philadelphians do not know that there is a very special estuarine reserve named in his honor in Southeastern New Jersey. The Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR)includes 115,000 acres of varied habitat ranging from pineland forest to open sea. The JC NERR is a patchwork of public lands managed by various state and federal entities with the managing partner being the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University.

From the JC NERR Website: "Occurring within the unique New Jersey Pinelands forest ecosystem, on the coastal plain and the barrier islands of the coastal margin, the Mullica River-Great Bay estuary is of special ecological value. Estuaries occur where our rivers meet the sea - where fresh and salt water mix to create a unique and very productive ecosystem vital to life both on land and in the sea."

The Reserve, according to Outreach Coordinator Lisa Auermuller, is a "best kept secret." The mission of the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve " is to improve management of New Jersey coastal environments through science, education, and stewardship." The staff of educators and scientists want the public to know that the reserve is a place of "good science and research" where the goal is "better understanding through science of these special habitats and an informed public."

The JC NERR offers many fun and educational family programs . For example, on June 22nd, the JC NERR is offering the Penguin Summer Kick Off.  Jenkinson's Aquarium will bring one of their penguins for a visit to the Reserve for a fun hour of learning about what a penguin is, where it lives, its care and feeding and the conservation surrounding this fascinating bird. Other family programs include lessons on insects, a "Critter Catch" and butterflies. Life on the Edge is a virtual walk through the estuarine system: it takes the visitor "from the headwaters of the Mullica River, through the Pinelands, into the marsh ecosystem in Great Bay and then finally out into the open ocean."

The Reserve's very user-friendly and comprehensive website features an interactive Habitat Map, perfect for young children (and Biology Examiners, too!).

Particularly popular is the Shore Bowl, held every year since 2000, for high school students, grades 9-12. This is a "highly acclaimed high school academic competition that provides a forum for talented students to test their knowledge of the marine sciences including biology, chemistry, physics, and geology."

There are programs like Ecological Evenings , "a series of evening presentations by scientists and professionals to inform adult audiences of current coastal issues and science research and well as inspire appreciation for the natural world."  Teachers may attend a variety of summer  workshops so they may be more informed about the ecology of estuaries. With the wide variety of recreational and educational activities, there is sure to be a class or activity for every age and interest.

The Reserve is also the site of research and scientific monitoring of this distinctive progression of habitats. Besides water quality and meteorological monitoring, there are studies concerning vegetation mapping and finfish research. There are internships available for college undergraduate and graduate students through the College of New Jersey.

When asked if the New Jersey coastline was in any danger from the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Ms. Auermuller replied that there is some danger depending on the currents and that there will be scientists associated with the Reserve monitoring the situation in New Jersey.

For more information please see:  http://marine.rutgers.edu/pt/index.html

Jacques Cousteau Coastal Center
130 Great Bay Blvd.
Tuckerton NJ 08087
609-812-0649
609-294-8597 (fax)