FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * ROBERTSON CORBIN J JR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NATURAL RESOURCE PARTNERS LP [NRP] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 601 JEFFERSON, SUITE 3600 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/15/2008 (Street) HOUSTON, TX 77002 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Units               40,000 D   Common Units 12/15/2008   J   129,328 A (4) 129,328 I By Western Bridgeport, Inc. (4) Common Units               139,060 I As Trustee of the William K. Robertson 1993 Management Trust (1) Common Units               31,540 I By Spouse Common Units               17,279,860 I By Western Pocahontas Properties Limited Partnership (2) Common Units               670,024 I By New Gauley Coal Corporation (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
ROBERTSON CORBIN J JR 601 JEFFERSON, SUITE 3600 HOUSTON, TX 77002	X	X	Chairman and CEO

Signatures

Corbin J. Robertson, Jr.		12/17/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Mr. Robertson is the trustee of the William K. Robertson 1993 Management Trust. Mr. Robertson's son is the beneficiary of these trusts. Mr. Robertson disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities.
(2)	These units are beneficially owned by Western Pocahontas Properties Limited Partnership, whose general partner is Western Pocahontas Corporation, a corporation controlled by Mr. Robertson. Mr. Robertson also holds indirect limited partner interests in Western Pocahontas Properties Limited Partnership. All the common units owned by Western Pocahontas Properties Limited Partnership are reported on this line. Mr. Robertson disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(3)	These units are beneficially owned by New Gauley Coal Corporation, a corporation controlled by Mr. Robertson. All the common units owned by New Gauley Coal Corporation are reported on this line. Mr. Robertson disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(4)	Western Bridgeport, Inc. acquired these units as a result of a distribution of units out of Great Northern Properties Limited Partnership, in which Western Bridgeport, Inc. is a minority limited partner. Mr. Robertson is the controlling partner of Western Bridgeport, Inc. Mr. Robertson disclaims beneficial ownership of the units held by Western Bridgeport, Inc., except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.