#362 — Inside Grand Bay: Mississippi's Hidden Coastal Reserve

Grand Bay NERR (  / grandbaynerr  )  is one of 30 National Estuarine Research Reserves in the country, it sits right on the Mississippi-Alabama line, and most people on this coast have never set foot on it. 🐢 Biologist Andrew Heaton and stewardship assistant Ashley Bosarge from the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve came into the studio to walk us through what's out there — and what you can do on it. 🥾 Nature trails open every day during daylight hours, free 🐢 Tagging diamondback terrapins with acoustic receivers borrowed from MSU 🐛 Live caterpillar displays in the interpretive center 🔥 Prescribed fire and pine savanna restoration as the day-to-day work 🚤 A public boat ramp, a fishing pier, and dorms you can book cheap Plus the answer to something every one of us has faced on a back road: what to actually do when you find a turtle crossing in front of you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro and sponsors 03:25 What a NERR is 07:00 Trails, hours, and the dorms 09:58 Marsh turtles, caterpillars, osprey 18:10 Terrapin threats and tagging 27:04 Protecting a turtle nest 29:52 Turtles in the road, and brumation 33:58 Turtle harvest and rescues 42:17 Pine savanna work and events Grand Bay NERR is a NOAA partnership funded 70% federally and 30% through the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. It overlaps the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge and is named for the watershed, not the Alabama city. Trails are open daily during daylight hours; the interpretive center is open 9 to 3 daily except holidays. Off Highway 90, down Franklin Creek Road to Bayou Heron Road in Jackson County. Also big thanks to Southern Magnolia Smiles (  / southernmagnoliasmiles  ) , Forever Young Men's and Women Health (  / foreveryounghealthclinic  ) , Taylor and Cox Law Firm (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...) , and Ensured Roofing Company (  / ensuredroofing  )  for the support! 🎵 From the dock to the deck — the fish rap nobody asked for but everybody needs. Listen to “Here Fishy Fishy” (https://open.spotify.com/track/7ha5Aq...) Want to be a part of the Pelican Gang? Check out our merch Here (https://www.brownwaterbanter.com/shop) . Download our free app: Apple: Here (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brown-w...) Android: Here (https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...) All our links: Here (https://linktr.ee/brownwaterbanter) Subscribe to Brown Water Banter for more on Gulf Coast wildlife, conservation, fishing, hunting, and the people working to protect the outdoors. #GrandBayNERR #DiamondbackTerrapin #MississippiGulfCoast #GulfCoastOutdoors #WildlifeConservation #BrownWaterBanter