A Salt Marsh Returns - Collins Cove Living Shoreline

A Salt Marsh Returns - Collins Cove Living Shoreline. . , Historic Collins Cove in Salem was once ringed with salt marsh. , Restoration began in spring 2019. , , Historic Collins Cove in Salem was once ringed with salt marsh. Starting in 1845, Boston and Maine railroad filled the tidelands to transport goods from Blaney Wharf (formerly known as Phillips' Wharf). , Restoration began in spring 2019. , To prepare for planting, 6 inches of sand were spread over the area, and biodegradable blankets were rolled out and staked to hold the sand in place until the salt tolerant plants grew. Over 150 volunteers planted 18,500 salt marsh plants. , Living shorelines are dynamic! , Most marshes along the Atlantic coast are 400 to 1,000 years old. Restoring this salt marsh will take time. The plants will grow and spread their roots. Vegetation will die back every fall as the plants go dormant for the winter. This process will slowly convert the sand to peat. The marsh will stabilize the shoreline, adapt to higher tides and buffer us from storms. , Where do salt marsh plants grow? It's all about elevation and tides. , These native plants have adapted to salt water. Each has its own preferred growing zone. Cordgrass likes to be covered by seawater twice a day at high tide so it is closest to the mudflat, while salt marsh hay and spike grass can go longer without being flooded and grow in the high marsh zone. Seaside goldenrod and black grass are two salt tolerant plants in the upper marsh border. , The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (UM) and Salem Sound Coastwatch have provided ongoing support to the City of Salem with this project, which was funded through UM's Coastal Resilience Grant Program. , Who uses the marsh? , Horseshoe crabs have existed in the ocean for 350 million years. They plow through sand to feed, stirring up food for small fish. Molted carapaces (shells) are found on the marsh, which means there is a breeding population nearby. , Green crabs and amphipods feed on salt marsh plants and detritus and may become food for fish swimming in at high tide. , Birds including hawks, waterfowl and migrating Purple Sandpipers frequent this marsh. , Important salt marsh benefits , . Protects the shoreline from erosion , . Reduces wave energy - as much as 50% , . Traps sediments and increases in elevation over time , . Filters pollutants from water , . Provides habitat for birds, fish and other aquatic and terrestrial animals , , How can you help the marsh? , Allow ducks and geese to feed naturally. Even in the winter, ducks and geese have plenty to eat in Salem Sound. Feeding them cracked corn or bread is harmful to their health. It also encourages them to congregate, which concentrates polluting bacteria and nutrients. Dog waste also contains bacteria. Bacteria in the water will close beaches to swimming. , Walk around the salt marsh, not through it. Please avoid walking on the plants and resist letting your dog run through the marsh. Give this marsh a chance to get established. Only people maintaining or monitoring the marsh should be walking on it. , To volunteer or learn more about Collins Cove and living shorelines, visit salemsound.org