Tidal marshes serve a variety of important functions valued by Maine communities. Unfortunately, tidal marsh habitats are highly vulnerable to damage or loss from sea level rise. Scientists expect marsh habitats will be more frequently flooded in the future and marsh vegetation lost or significantly altered as a result. Salt marshes do, however, have the ability to ‘migrate’ landward with sea level rise-induced changes in shoreline position. The potential and ability for marsh migration is crucial to sustaining these important ecosystems and their functions for the future.
Recognizing this, and with financial support from the North Atlantic Landscape Conservation Collaborative (NALCC) and other sources, a team of Maine partners came together to assist communities and land trusts with addressing local marsh migration issues and identifying local adaptation strategies.
Over the course of the project, this “Marsh Migration Team” developed spatial datasets that show areas likely to support future marsh habitat under various sea level rise scenarios; increased awareness of marsh migration issues through public education programs; developed and tested a marsh migration decision-support tool; and provided technical assistance to six towns developing local adaptation strategies. This project has set the stage for additional climate planning work within the six towns and beyond.
