Delaware study maps most suitable areas for marsh migration amid rising seas

Delaware study maps most suitable areas for marsh migration amid rising seas

The study found that Sussex County’s privately owned property is the most suitable for marsh migration. As sea level rise along Delaware’s coast, the state is preparing for the natural shift of its tidal wetlands. A new mapping study released by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) outlines where these critical ecosystems are most likely—and most able—to move in the coming decades. The study, led by DNREC’s Wetla…

New Help for a Little Telltale Bird | The East Hampton Star

New Help for a Little Telltale Bird Banding project could lead to a healthier salt marsh Matt Thu, 07/17/2025 - 11:19 The saltmarsh sparrow cannot breed in marshes that are continually flooded, and thus the bird acts as a key indicator of marsh health. Jay Rand By Christopher Gangemi July 17, 2025 As goes the little saltmarsh sparrow, so goes the salt marsh. In what could be a win for both, a team of scientists will now capture and band saltma…

Machine Learning Model Flags Early, Invisible Signs of Marsh Decline

A computer model drawing on satellite and climate data could give scientists an early warning of coastal marsh decline. Using the model, scientists detected a decline in underground plant biomass across much of Georgia’s coastal marshes between 2014 and 2023. Critically, this loss occurred even though the marsh grasses appeared green and thriving at the surface. The findings, published last month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science…

DNREC Releases Updated Marsh Migration Model

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has released a mapping study that identifies areas in Delaware most suitable for tidal wetlands to migrate, based on projections of future sea level rise. Marsh migration is defined as the movement of tidal wetlands from their current habitat, toward higher and drier ground, to avoid being drowned. According to DNREC, tidal wetlands eventually migrate inland as sea levels rise…