Marshes for Maine’s Future: A Model for Transferring Geospatial Science in the NERRS

The Wells Reserve is transferring regional geospatial tools developed by the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center to respond to locally identified marsh conservation and management needs in Maine.

As sea level rise threatens coastal marshes, resource managers face difficult decisions when determining which areas to prioritize for restoration and protection. To sustain salt marshes, and the ecosystem services they provide, decision makers need a better understanding of how different environmental factors influence marsh resilience. This project leverages three regional geospatial tools developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) – unvegetated-vegetated ratio (UVVR), Marsh Lifespan Calculator, and Coastal Change Likelihood – to develop locally applicable products. These products help link local landscape integrity with coastal hazards and provide a scientific framework for supporting decision-makers who research and manage climate-induced changes in marsh resilience and vulnerability.

Using a Collaborative Learning approach, the team developed a series of virtual and in-person knowledge sharing workshops during which the creators of the USGS geospatial products interacted with salt marsh professionals who were working on marsh resilience projects and had an interest in the tools. Examples of scenarios where the USGS geospatial tools could be applied include efforts to prioritize locations for marsh conservation, identifying sites for marsh migration pathways, and evaluating restoration strategies.

Learn more: Project Page | Watch: Sneak Peek
Reserves involved: Wells, ME