Join the Nature Center of Cape May for a fascinating lecture entitled “Protecting Our Marine and Coastal Resources,” Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 10:30 a.m.

Melanie Reding, education coordinator for the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR) in Tuckerton, will explain what makes the research reserve unique and how it is protecting the marine and coastal resources of New Jersey through science, education, and public outreach.

The JC NERR is one of 27 National Estuarine Research Reserves around the U.S. and one of the least-disturbed estuaries in the northeast. It covers 115,000 acres comprised of a variety of beautiful habitats including open ocean, forested pinelands, expansive salt marshes, and wetlands.

The fee for the lecture is $5.

On Friday through Sunday, Oct. 24-26, the Nature Center will host its annual fall Open House Weekend, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The open house coincides with the New Jersey Audubon Society’s Autumn Weekend.

Visit the Trucksess Welcome Center to meander through our children’s garden, browse the nature store, and see the stunning views of Cape May Harbor from the three-story observation tower. Explore our classrooms and grounds and look for Monarch butterflies in our wildlife-friendly gardens.

On Saturday, naturalist Linda Dill will be on hand from 10:30 a.m. to noon for Birding from the Deck. Come on up to the second story deck and see what’s floating in the harbor, feeding in the gardens, and passing overhead.

The event is free and open to the public.

Call 609-898-8848 for more information. All programs take place at the Nature Center of Cape May, located at 1600 Delaware Ave., Cape May.