Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is one of 15 national marine sanctuaries and two marine national monuments protected by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Document the formation of ghost forests.

The destructive battles continue in the SALT Block’s West Wing Keiser Community Room, again this September! Catawba Science Center is proud to announce the 9th annual Hickory Bot Battles combat robot competition will be returning September 11th & 12th, 2026. Featuring over 100 competitive combat robot builders, robots weighing up to three pounds fight to the “death" in the 8’ x 8’ bulletproof arena*. As the largest combat robot event in NC, Hickory Bot Battles brings competitors from across the country, often including teams that have competed on the BattleBots TV show. Witness the Corporate Cup Competition, which gives companies a chance to prove their engineering superiority via a single-elimination combat robot competition for glory and the cherished HBB Corporate Cup Trophy!

Assess salt marsh health within New Jersey’s watersheds.

Monitor the water quality of the Mystic River

Engage and educate Charleston area communities in salt marsh restoration efforts.

Monitor chloride levels in local streams.

Increase resiliency to severe weather, storm surge, and inland flooding.

Monitor the biodiversity around the Albemarle Sound

To monitor the health and of saltmarsh and mangroves adjacent the salt fields