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Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Understanding Ecosystems for a Sustainable Future

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May 21: How a Return to Tribal Management is Restoring Lands

Discover how indigenous-led management is restoring the balance between people and the land. Cody Desautel of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation hosts our next Life on a Sustainable Planet webinar!
Director's Letter: Open Science & Putting Communities First

"Leaders on the ground are very attuned to their local environments. They know what the needs are. The Smithsonian’s role is to provide tools...to scale up their efforts." (Photo: Hannah Morrissette)
Adult Fish Struggle to Bounce Back in Marine Protected Areas

Marine protected areas are not doing enough to help adult fish, vital to spawning the next generation. A new study found in the Mesoamerica Reef, adult fish have flatlined or declined in most protected sites. (Photo: Luciano Candisani /iLCP)
Woodlawn History Center Open For Visitors

Explore the oldest building in the Smithsonian still in its original spot! The 1735 Woodlawn History Center is open for visitors Friday and Saturday, 10am-2pm. (Photo: Michael Barnes/Smithsonian)
On-Site Field Trips Are Back!

Educators: On-site field trips are back, with a few updates! SERC now offers timed entry and rotating stations. Details and schedule on our School Programs page.

What's New

Adult Fish Struggle To Bounce Back in Marine Protected Areas

Photo: Pete Oxford /iLCP
Protecting Lands Slows Biodiversity Loss Among Vertebrates By Five Times

Photo: Justin Nowakowski
Marine Protected Areas Improve Health, Wealth of Nearby Communities

Photo: Luciano Candisani

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Ecosystems on the Edge

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Shorelines Blog

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Upcoming Events

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Environmental Archaeology Dig Day

Participatory Science

Family Program

Environmental Archaeology Dig Day

Join us for a day of archaeological fun!

Saturday, Apr 27, 2024 - 9:30am - 3:00pm

Event Location
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD 21037

Join us for this year's first Dig Day with the Environmental Archaeology Lab! Help us look for evidence of a structure near the Java Ruins on our campus in Edgewater, Maryland. You'll have the chance to work together and with researchers to do a variety of tasks, including sieving sediment and washing/sorting artifacts.

Register

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9:30am - 3:00pm

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

How a Return to Tribal Management is Restoring Landscapes

Talk

How a Return to Tribal Management is Restoring Landscapes

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 - 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Speaker: Cody Desautel, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

Sign up online

View Event Details

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Friday, May 24, 2024

Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences Regional Meeting

Participatory Science

Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences Regional Meeting

Friday, May 24, 2024 - 3:00pm - 5:00pm

Event Location
Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, 10th & Constitution Ave, Washington, D.C.

We are pleased to share the news that a regional meeting of the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS) will convene on Friday, May 24, from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. The event will be held at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum at 10th & Constitution Ave, Washington, D.C., and it is free and open to everyone. There are no requirements for attendees and participants to belong to the Association or any other entity. Everyone is welcome. The only requirement is to register, which helps us plan the space and refreshments.

Register

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3:00pm - 5:00pm

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

What a Warming World Means for Plants, Pests and Pollinators

Talk

What a Warming World Means for Plants, Pests and Pollinators

Tuesday, Jun 18, 2024 - 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Speaker: Dr. Michael Raupp, University of Maryland

Sign up online

View Event Details

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Visiting Hours

SERC is open for hiking and paddling Monday through Saturday, 8:00 am - 5:30 pm. We are closed Sundays and federal holidays.

Our Woodlawn History Center, located just past the security kiosk, is open Fridays and Saturdays, with extended hours from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.

Plan your visit!

SERC 50 Anniversary Icon

50 Years of Discovery

For half a century, SERC scientists have taken on environmental issues on the Chesapeake Bay and around the world and, uncovered new ways to protect the planet. Learn more about SERC’s history and discoveries.