Coastal Shores and Wetlands

Salt marshes, beach/dunes, tidal flats, rocky shore, sea cliff, coastal bogs.

The Northern Appalachian / Acadian ecoregion is rich with coastal features, hosting almost 24,000 examples of beaches, salt marshes, tidal flats and rocky shores in a narrow zone tracking the continental shoreline. Although most features are relatively small (ave. 39 acres) and collectively they cover only 1% of the ecoregion, it is remarkable how much biodiversity is concentrated at the coastal edge.
Tidal flats and marshes of this region are important to many of our rarest birds such as the salt marsh sparrow, roseate tern, arctic tern, willet and black-legged kittiwake. Specialized organisms, as exemplified by the dominant spartina grasses, have evolved mechanisms to resist desiccation and maintain salt balance in this dynamic setting. Rare or declining species include seaside dock, saltmarsh sedge, seashore saltgrass, creeping alkali grass, American sea-blite, and small spikerush are abundant in this setting.

Key recommendations for coastal wetlands

We recommend that 44% of all the tidal marsh, beaches, coastal bogs and salt ponds be conserved for biodiversity. This amounts to 423,052 acres in 90 critical marsh complexes.