Established in 1986, the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is a protected education and research site for Weeks Bay, a small Baldwin County estuary that receives water from the Magnolia and Fish Rivers and is connected to Mobile Bay. Weeks Bay Estuary is a habitat for several plants and animals and features nature trails, picnic areas, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, and an interpretive center with displays of historical, ecological, archeological, live and preserved specimens.