Carrot Island - Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve

· Got it’s name from the carts that were left on the island by fishermen who emptied their nets on the south side of the island, and used the carts to transport the fish from there, across Taylor’s Creek on a narrow bridge of land that existed then. The name evolved from “Cart Island” to “Carrot Island” over the years. The fishermen used ballast stones to build the ford across Taylor’s creek in order to get their carts over.

· Now designated as the “Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve”, the Reserve was established in 1985.

· The Rachel Carson Reserve totals 2,625 acres. Rachel Carson is located between the Newport and North rivers and receives fresh water from both.

· Estuaries are vigorous, vital ecosystems where plant species survive and thrive. They are home for clams, whelks, shrimp, dolphins, crabs, and much more marine life, they serve as a nursery for juvenile fish, a storage basin for nutrients and a buffer from storms for creatures in the air, on the land and under the water.

· There are 160 species of birds living in the Reserve. The Shackleford Ponies also swim to and spend considerable time feeding in the reserve.

· The Rachel Carson site has a well-marked half-mile trail loop. From the trail, visitors will get to see most of the habitats of the island and many of the plant and animal species that make the site so valuable. The self-interpretive trail brochure is available at the Education office, local ferries, and the North Carolina Maritime Museum.

· Rachel Carson has been called “the mother of the modern environmental movement.” She is best known for writing Silent Spring, a 1962 book exposing the dangers pesticides pose to the environment.

· Rachel Carson was born May 27, 1907 in Springdale, PA. Her mother encouraged young Rachel’s love of nature. In 1932, she received an M.A. in Zoology from John Hopkins University. In, 1936, she became a junior aquatic biologist for the Bureau of Fisheries.

· Rachel Carson was fascinated with the relationship of human beings and their environments. In 1938, she came to Beaufort, NC to visit the U.S. Fisheries Station. Her visit had a strong impact. It inspired the writing on shorebirds in her book, Under the Sea-Wind (1941). In The Edge of the Sea (1955), Carson describes the estuarine region in Beaufort that now bears her name, The Rachel Carson Reserve.

· Rachel Carson passed away in 1964 after a long struggle with cancer. Her writings serve as inspiration for all generations. Her love of ocean life speaks to all of us: “The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place...”