Preserve and cherish the pale b home we’ve ever known lue dot, the only . ~ Ca r l S a g a n
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Saving Our
Drowning
Marshes Open-water pools that have formed in the past few years are evidence of marsh loss.
The Wetlands Institute and Its Partners Are Rising to the Challenge By Lenore Tedesco of The Wetlands Institute
C
oastal marshes, tidal creeks, and bays are the cradle of life. They host a phenomenal diversity of wildlife that rely on them for food, nesting, and resting. They are nursery grounds for fish and shellfish. They are crucial to coastal resilience, offering protection against damage to property and infrastructure and reducing loss of life during storm surge and flooding. They are majestic, calming, and beautiful. They are part of what makes Seven Mile Beach such a special place. Sadly, our marshes are at a tipping point and are beginning to drown. The biggest threats our wetlands, coastal ecosystems, and coastal communities face are climate change-driven rapidly rising seas. Rapidly rising seas have shifted the delicate balance between our marshes and the life-sustaining tidal waters they need. Tidal marshes flourish on the brink – daily to intermittent flooding brings life; repetitive deep flooding systematically destroys life. If you spend much time at the shore, you have seen it for yourself – our marshes are underwater at a frequency that is alarming. Local tidal marshes are inundated more frequently and to greater depths than ever before, and it’s taking a toll. This winter and spring were particularly dramatic. The Wetlands Institute scientists, along with our colleagues from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP),
and five universities are diligently evaluating and monitoring these marshes to understand how rapidly rising seas are degrading them, and impacting the wildlife that depends on them. We have determined that the marshes at The Wetlands Institute are drowning and shown that what were lush meadows of unbroken grasses only a few years ago are changing to mudflats and open-water pools right before our eyes. The projects of the Seven Mile Island Innovation Lab have been developing the tools and techniques to save drowning marshes. The project team has developed the experience and knowledge from eight projects that have already been implemented to enhance more than 85 acres of marsh so far. New Jersey is now a national leader in marsh restoration, using tools developed right here. It’s in our nature to respond – and we are! Thankfully, along with our partners, we are again moving from evaluation to action for our marshes this fall. We are bringing a much-needed project home to the marshes at The Wetlands Institute and the adjacent Cape May Coastal Wetlands Wildlife Management Area, managed by NJDEP. Our goal is to elevate roughly 10 acres of marsh so that it has the appropriate balance with life-giving tides to ensure that the core of the institute’s laboratory and classroom, and the marshes you love to explore when you visit the institute, are healthy and vibrant for decades to come.
Sunny day flooding of marshes. Courtesy of Ted Kingston. continued on page 72
Seven Mile Times Endless Summer 2024
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