Marshes for Maine's Future
Full Title
Marshes for Maine's Future: Collaborative Science to Support Marsh Conservation and Management Decisions in Maine — A Model for Transferring Geospatial Science in the NERRS
Background
Southern Maine is at the center of two ongoing efforts with a shared objective to provide coastal resource and infrastructure managers with relevant scientific insights to build marsh resilience. Climate Ready Coast has identified local decision support needs to prioritize locations for marsh conservation, identify sites for migration pathways, and evaluate restoration strategies. Science to Support Marsh Conservation and Management Decisions in the Northeastern United States spans a broader scope from Virginia to Maine, aiming to develop the region’s capacity for timely support of decision-makers dealing with climate-induced changes in marsh resilience and vulnerability.
Goal
Use USGS geospatial data products to develop locally applicable products for Maine marsh conservation leaders and Climate Ready Coast communities.
Project Period
October 2023 to September 2024
Project Leads
Chris Feurt, Wells NERR, Project and Collaborative Lead
Neil Ganju, USGS, Technical Lead
Activities
Workshops
Knowledge-sharing Workshop #1: Putting Geospatial Science to Work for Salt Marshes, October 2023
Knowledge sharing workshop #2: Geospatial Science for Marsh Conservation — What’s Below the Surface?, November 2023
Data Sharing Workshop, January 2024
Knowledge Sharing Workshop #3: Maine Data Products Application Workshop, February 2024
Presentations
"Marshes for Maine's Future" presentation by C. Feurt to Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, January 2024
Resources
Climate Ready Coast (Southern Maine Regional Planning and Development Commission)
Science to Support Marsh Conservation and Management Decisions in the Northeastern United States (U.S. Geological Survey)
Partners
- Casco Bay Estuary Partnership
- Maine Coast Heritage Trust
- Maine Geological Survey
- Maine Natural Areas Program
- Maine Sea Grant
- Southern Maine Planning & Development Commission
- The Nature Conservancy
- USFWS Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
- USGS Coastal and Marine Geology
- VIEWSHED
- Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
Funding
$80,613 from the NERRS Science Collaborative
The Science Collaborative is managed by the University of Michigan’s Water Center, which is part of the Graham Sustainability Institute. The program is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through a cooperative agreement with the university.