FWS Saltmarsh Restoration Priorities for the Saltmarsh Sparrow - Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV)

<span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'><b>UPDATED 2024 -</b> This data is intended to provide those interested in salt marsh and Saltmarsh Sparrow conservation with information that will help with conservation implementation. It identifies areas containing salt marsh that are good candidates for restoration, enhancement, and/or conservation to provide persistent high-quality Saltmarsh Sparrow breeding habitat by 2030 in addition to long-term salt marsh resilience. High-quality habitat for the Saltmarsh Sparrow includes high marsh patches with the lowest flooding frequency that provide a window over 23 days between significant flooding events, and are characterized by </span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-style:italic; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Spartina patens</span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>, Short-form </span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-style:italic; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>S. alterniflora</span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>, </span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-style:italic; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Distichlis spicata</span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>, and </span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-style:italic; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Juncus gerardii</span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>, including a well-developed thatch layer of previous years’ vegetation. Marshes are characterized as &quot;Priority, &quot;Reference&quot;, and &quot;Honorable Mention&quot;. &quot;Priority&quot; marshes have been prioritized for ongoing restoration planning and action to support the Saltmarsh Sparrow. &quot;Honorable mention&quot; marshes were identified by the partner group as important to keep in mind and further assess for future work, but of lower priority than &quot;Priority&quot; marshes. &quot;Reference&quot; marshes are less degraded and can act as reference marshes for restoration efforts in the state. Long-term preservation of these areas and the open space around them to facilitate long-term marsh migration is important, but no immediate restoration action is suggested for them. </span></span><div><font face='Arial, sans-serif'><span style='font-size:16px;'><br /></span></font><div><span><span style='background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal; font-size:16px;'><font face='Arial, sans-serif'><div><b>Restoration Technique Definitions</b></div><div>The following terms are used repeatedly throughout this document to identify opportunity</div><div>for different techniques at identified marshes, including in the “attributes” section. This</div><div>information is meant to identify opportunity and potential for these restoration</div><div>techniques at each site but is not meant to be prescriptive. A formal site assessment and</div><div>design is always necessary to identify specific next steps and restoration strategies within each</div><div>marsh parcel. </div></font></span></span></div><div><span><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><br /></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Sediment placement - elevation enhancement</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Intentional placement of material (including beneficial use of dredged sediment) on the marsh platform to raise the marsh platform. Includes both thin-layer placement and thick-layer placement.</span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Repair hydrology - runnelling / channel creation</span><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'> </span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Modification of marsh platform using shallow channel creation to remove or prevent ground water saturation at the marsh surface that is causing marsh vegetation death and/or subsidence. Excavated peat is often reused to enhance microtopography.</span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Repair hydrology - tidal restriction</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Removal or modification of features altering tidal flow such as road crossings, culverts, bridges, etc.</span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Repair hydrology - ditch plugs </span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Adjustment of ditch plugging on marsh platform to improve hydrology. </span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Repair hydrology - ditches</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Adjustment of human-made ditches on the marsh platform to improve hydrology. </span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Repair hydrology - berm, embankment, or levee</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Removal or alteration of berms, stonewalls or embankments to restore hydrology of marsh platform and/or facilitate marsh migration.</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'><br /></span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Land acquisition / protection - marsh migration</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Protect (in fee or easement) land to allow for eventual marsh migration. </span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Land acquisition / protection - existing marsh </span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Protect (in fee or easement) land with existing marsh.</span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Facilitated marsh migration </span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Active management to promote/accelerate marsh migration through modification of the environment.</span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Non-native invasive plant species management (</span><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-style:italic; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Phragmites australis, etc</span><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>.)</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Removal or management of invasive plants. </span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Living shoreline development </span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Development of nature-based features (e.g., vegetation, oyster reefs) to promote shoreline stabilization. </span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><br /></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Wildlife herbivory reduction</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Removal or management of wildlife to reduce/prevent overgrazing including both non-native (e.g., hogs, horses, Sesarma crabs) and native species (e.g., deer, Uca [fiddler] crabs, geese).</span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Stormwater management</span><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'> </span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Address stormwater to reduce/manage excessive inputs of freshwater, nutrients, pollution, and/or sediment. </span></p><br /><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-weight:700; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Additional ecological assessment needed</span></p><p style='line-height:1.38; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt;'><span style='font-size:11pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'>Additional monitoring and site assessment to determine specific next steps or assess existing restoration efforts at a site.</span></p></span></div><div><span><span style='font-size:12pt; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; background-color:transparent; font-variant-numeric:normal; font-variant-east-asian:normal; font-variant-alternates:normal; font-variant-position:normal;'><br /></span></span></div></div>