Great Marsh Environment

Salt marsh grasslands, tidal creeks, and estuaries make up one of the richest habitats on earth. The Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England, contains an astonishing diversity of plant and animals.

Coastal wetlands are transition zones between the land and sea. These coastal areas have unique hydrologic characteristics resulting from the rise and fall of water. Many species of fish, insects, shellfish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals make their home in the Great Marsh. Some rare bird species include: American bittern, northern harrier (background image), peregrine falcon, short-eared owl, and common and least terns.

Coastal wetlands function to preserve water quality and supply, filter stormwater pollutants, prevent storm damage, and provide habitat for wildlife and fisheries. For example, 95 percent of commercially harvested fish and shellfish species depend on wetlands for at least part of their life cycle.

Diverse partnerships have been formed since the early 1990s to protect and conserve the Great Marsh under the title of the Great Marsh Initiative. The Initiative focuses on salt marsh restoration; land protection; water quality improvement, and anadromous fish conservation, education, and monitoring.

Vast portions of the Great Marsh are designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), specifically called the Parker River/Essex Bay ACEC.

The following groups work to preserve and protect the Great Marsh through land protection, education, research, restoration, and advocacy.