The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR), established in 1993, is a cooperative program between the State of Delaware and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The DNERR is one of 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves across the country whose goal is to establish, protect, and manage natural estuarine habitats for research and education. The DNERR consists of two main components, the Blackbird Creek Reserve and St. Jones Reserve. These sites include both brackish and freshwater estuaries, and represent the diverse estuarine ecosystems found throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Our mission at the DNERR is to preserve and manage the natural resources within the Reserve as a place for research, to provide education and outreach programs that promote better understanding of Delaware’s estuarine and coastal areas, and to promote informed coastal decision-making.