Estuaries

Teachers need accurate information and resources to integrate ocean, coastal, and climate science into local and state curricula.  Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are bodies of water usually found where rivers meet the sea.  Estuaries are home to unique plant and animal communities that have adapted to brackish — a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and salty seawater.

Estuaries are among of the most productive ecosystems in the world.  Many animals rely on estuaries for food, places to breed, and migration stopovers.  Human communities also rely on estuaries for food, recreation, jobs, and coastal protection. NOAA's Ocean Service Education provides classroom resources dealing with estuaries.