Ashepoo Combahee Edisto Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve

The Ashepoo Combahee Edisto Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (often shortened to ACE Basin NERR) is a 140,000-acre (570 km²) reserve area located in the ACE Basin, one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It is named for the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Rivers, which meander past cypress swamps, historic plantation homes, old rice fields and abundant tidal marshes to meet at South Carolina’s biologically rich St. Helena Sound.

The ACE Basin NERR protects the natural beauty, abundant wildlife and unique cultural heritage of the area. In addition, the reserve preserves habitat for many endangered or threatened species, such as shortnose sturgeon, wood storks, loggerhead sea turtles and bald eagles.

Commercial fisherman harvest bountiful supplies of shrimp, crab, oyster, clam and finfish each year in the ACE Basin. Recreational fishermen ply the mudflats for spottail bass, flounder and shrimp, while paddlers enjoy the natural beauty of a maze of salt marsh creeks and the black waters of the rivers.

Research conducted at the ACE Basin NERR enhance the protection of these commercial and recreational uses by monitoring water quality, providing information on the abundance and types of important plant and animal species, and evaluating the overall health of the ACE Basin ecosystem.

Through a variety of educational programs, the reserve provides timely information to coastal decision makers, lawmakers, teachers, students and the general public. The reserve sponsors a summer lecture series, develops curriculum materials for teachers, offers a touch tank program for children and conducts educational cruises where students and teachers learn about estuaries and their values to marine, avian and human life.

Reference

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the NOAA.

Protected Areas of South Carolina

Federal

National Parks	Congaree National Park

National Historic Parks, Sites & Monuments	Charles Pinckney National Historic Site • Fort Sumter National Monument • Ninety Six National Historic Site

National Military Parks and Battlefields	Cowpens National Battlefield • Kings Mountain National Military Park

National Trails	Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

National Forests	Francis Marion • Sumter

National Wildlife Refuges	Cape Romain • Carolina Sandhills • Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin • Pinckney Island • Santee • Savannah • Tybee • Waccamaw

National Estuarine Research Reserves	ACE Basin • North Inlet-Winyah Bay

Wilderness Areas	Cape Romain • Congaree • Ellicott Rock • Hell Hole Bay • Little Wambaw Swamp • Wambaw Creek • Wambaw Swamp

Wild and Scenic Rivers	Chattooga River

State

State Parks	Andrew Jackson • Baker Creek • Barnwell • Caesars Head • Cheraw • Chester • Colleton • Devils Fork • Edisto Beach • Givhans Ferry • Goodale • Hickory Knob • Hunting Island • Huntington Beach • Jones Gap • Kings Mountain • Lake Warren • Landsford Canal • Lee • Little Pee Dee • Myrtle Beach • Oconee • Paris Mountain • Poinsett • Santee • Sesquicentennial • Table Rock

State Historic Sites	Charles Towne Landing • Colonial Dorchester • Hampton Plantation • Musgrove Mill • Oconee Station • Redcliffe Plantation • Rivers Bridge • Rose Hill Plantation

State Recreation & Natural Areas	Aiken State Natural Area • Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area • Croft State Natural Area • Dreher Island State Recreation Area • Hamilton Branch State Recreation Area • Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area • Lake Greenwood State Recreation Area • Lake Hartwell State Recreation Area • Lake Wateree State Recreation Area • Lee State Natural Area • Sadlers Creek State Recreation Area • Woods Bay State Natural Area

State Forests	Harbison • Manchester • Poe Creek • Sand Hills • Wee Tee

Wildlife Management Areas	Bear Island Wildlife Management Area • Belfast Wildlife Management Area • Bonneau Ferry Wildlife Management Area • Campbell's Crossroads Wildlife Management Area • Crackerneck Wildlife Preserve • Donnelley Wildlife Management Area • Draper Wildlife Management Area • Edisto River Wildlife Management Area • Fant's Grove Wildlife Management Area • Gray Court Wildlife Management Area • Hickory Top Wildlife Management Area • James Ross Wildlife Reservation • Jim Timmerman Natural Resources Area • Keowee Wildlife Management Area • Mason Wildlife Preserve • McBee Wildlife Management Area • McConnells Tract Wildlife Management • Palachucola Wildlife Management Area • Pee Dee Wildlife Management Area • Samworth Wildlife Management Area • Santee-Delta Wildlife Management Area • Thurmond Wildlife Management Area • Turkey Creek Wildlife Management Area • Turtle Island Wildlife Management Area • Webb Wildlife Center/Preserve • Woodbury Wildlife Management Area • Worth Mountain Wildlife Management Area

The Lowcountry of South Carolina

Counties	Beaufort County • Colleton County • Hampton County • Jasper County • Charleston region

Major communities	Beaufort • Bluffton • Estill • Hampton • Hardeeville • Hilton Head Island • Port Royal • Ridgeland • Walterboro • Varnville • Yemassee

Sea Islands	Daufuskie Island • Edisto Island • Fripp Island • Harbor Island • Hilton Head Island • Hunting Island • Lady's Island • St. Helena Island

History & culture	Historic places • Beaufort (history of - historic district) • Cuisine • Gullah culture • Port Royal Experiment • Sea Islands Hurricane

Military installations	Laurel Bay • MCAS Beaufort • MCRD Parris Island • Beaufort Naval Hospital

Natural areas	ACE Basin • Hunting Island State Park & Lighthouse • Pinckney Island NWR • Savannah NWR • Sea Islands

Other articles	BJWSA • Hargray • Sea Pines • TCL • USC-Beaufort • The Heritage