The N.C. Coastal Federation is thrilled to share its latest developments…
The N.C. Coastal Federation is thrilled to share its latest developments, including the creation of North Carolina’s first “Donor” Salt Marsh and significant marine debris removal initiatives.
Construction has officially begun on the first-of-its-kind “Donor” Salt Marsh at the Coastal Federation’s North River Wetlands Preserve. The one-acre salt marsh will provide thousands of scarce native salt marsh plants that can be transplanted to sustainably support future coastal restoration projects.
Salt marsh habitat in North Carolina is at risk due to land use changes, accelerated erosion rates, and climate-driven sea level rise. The N.C. Division of Coastal Management determined that an estimated 80,000 acres of coastal wetlands are being lost on average each year in the U.S., up from 60,000 acres lost a year during the previous study. Additionally, restoration efforts in North Carolina are often hindered by a lack of native salt marsh grass plants available to purchase.
The Federation’s Water Quality Program Director Bree Charon explained the benefits of this donor marsh: “The donor marsh will provide a consistent source of salt marsh plants that will reduce lead times and expense for other restoration projects. It also provides the co-benefit of filtering water entering Ward Creek and providing habitat for the many species that call North River Wetlands Preserve home.”
Once the donor marsh matures, the Federation will harvest plants sustainably to safeguard and perpetuate the health of the created marsh. This will help supply plants for additional marsh restoration projects in the future. Marsh plant plugs cost anywhere from $0.75 to $2.00 each, and therefore, the cost savings of having a donor nursery marsh that can supply plants for restoration will be significant to the Federation for future marsh restoration projects. The donor marsh is a first-of-its-kind plant nursery in North Carolina that can hopefully be replicated by commercial nurseries in the future.
In addition, marine debris removal crews have pulled hundreds of tires from Downeast Creek in Carteret County. The Federation’s marine debris crews partnered with the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina (CCA NC) to find the tires and begin the removal process. It was estimated that there were anywhere between 100-200 tires.
The tire removal will not only help clean up unsightly debris, but it will help improve water quality and habitat diversity.
The debris contains harmful chemicals that may affect estuarine habitats and animals, including fish and shellfish consumed by humans. Large deposits of debris pose hazards to navigation and marsh vegetation. Working with small skiffs, the marine debris removal crew and CCA NC volunteers removed the tires from the creek areas and properly disposed of them.
