Snowy Egret @ Clare Carvel
Salt Marsh Science Project Results & Data
Salt Marsh Science Project Vegetation Results & Data
Mass Audubon scientists are leading efforts to monitor the vegetation of salt marshes over time, particularly where the Phragmites are growing. Middle and high school students are helping with this monitoring through participating in Mass Audubon’s Salt Marsh Science Project. We are investigating whether Phragmites are spreading in the salt marsh, how fast Phragmites are spreading, and whether the height and spread rate is impacted by different salinity (salt content) levels.
Data
With the help participating students, we have been collecting data on vegetation as it relates to salt marshes in coastal Massachusetts since 1996. Please note that not all sites are monitored each year—the date range indicates the start date and the most recent year data was collected.
| Location | Years Monitored | Participating Schools & Groups | Restricted? Restored? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location Boston, MA, Thompson Island | Years Monitored 2005-2007 | Participating Schools & Groups Outward Bound, Wellesley | Restricted? Restored? Rocks impede tidal flow. Removed August 2007. |
| Location Byfield, MA | Years Monitored 2008, 2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Governor's Academy | Restricted? Restored? Reference |
| Location Danvers, MA, Behind Mass General North Shore (Formerly Osram Sylvania) | Years Monitored 1997-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Holten Richmond Middle School, Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical High School, Danvers | Restricted? Restored? Tidal restriction and berm. Not restored. |
| Location Dorchester, Milton MA, Neponset Marsh | Years Monitored 2004-2008 | Participating Schools & Groups UMass Boston | Restricted? Restored? Filled marsh, fill removal completed April 2005 |
| Location East Boston, MA, Belle Isle Marsh | Years Monitored 2003-2004 | Participating Schools & Groups Excel Academy Charter School, East Boston | Restricted? Restored? No |
| Location Essex, MA, Conomo Point Road | Years Monitored 1998-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Manchester Essex High School, Essex Elementary and Middle School, Saints Academy | Restricted? Restored? Tidal Restriction restored November 2000 |
| Location Gloucester, MA, Eastern Point | Years Monitored 2000-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical High School, O’Maley Innovation Middle School, Natick Homeschoolers, St. Mel's School in Gloucester | Restricted? Restored? Tidal restriction restored November 2003. |
| Location Gloucester, MA, Mill Pond | Years Monitored 1998-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups O'Maley Innovation Middle School in Gloucester | Restricted? Restored? Tidal restriction. Site flooded when board placed on tidegates spring 2003, killing marsh plants. Tide gates opened beginning spring 2004. |
| Location Gloucester, MA, Wingersheek Beach | Years Monitored 2005-2007 | Participating Schools & Groups Essex North Shore Agriculture & Technical High School, Maritime Heritage | Restricted? Restored? Berm |
| Location Ipswich, MA, Argilla Road | Years Monitored 1997-2002, 2005 | Participating Schools & Groups Mass Audubon and NMFS Scientists | Restricted? Restored? Tidal Restriction Restored Fall 1998 |
| Location Ipswich, MA, Cedar Point | Years Monitored 1999-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Stoneridge Montessori School, Beverly, The Proctor School (Topsfield), Trustees | Restricted? Restored? Tidal Restriction Phase 1 restored Spring 2000 |
| Location Ipswich, MA, Littleneck Road | Years Monitored 1999-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Ipswich High School | Restricted? Restored? Tidal Restriction; culvert collapsed in spring 2000, ponding killed marsh plants. New culvert put in Spring 2001. |
| Location Ipswich, MA, Town Farm Road | Years Monitored 1996-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Ipswich High School | Restricted? Restored? Tidal Restriction restored spring 2005. |
| Location Newburyport, MA, Joppa Flats | Years Monitored 1998-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Newburyport: Rupert A. Nock Middle School, River Valley Charter School | Restricted? Restored? Fill removal restoration and panne creation 1999. Small tidal restriction not restored. |
| Location Revere, MA | Years Monitored 2001 | Participating Schools & Groups Revere High School | Restricted? Restored? |
| Location Rowley, MA, Batchelder's Landing | Years Monitored 1996-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Pine Grove School in Rowley, Franklin Pierce College, Homeschool | Restricted? Restored? Unrestricted site (reference site) |
| Location Rowley, MA Parker River National Wildlife Refuge: North Pool | Years Monitored 2001-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups River Valley Charter School, Newbury Elementary School, Rupert A. Nock Middle School, Northern Essex Community College, Gulf of Maine Institute | Restricted? Restored? Restricted, may be restored in the future. |
| Location Rockport, MA, Saratoga Creek & Seaview Street | Years Monitored 1998-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Rockport Middle School | Restricted? Restored? Storm drain sediments removed; panne creation Sp. 1999. Seaview St. tidal restriction restored Fall 2003. |
| Location Salem, MA, Forest River | Years Monitored 2002-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Salem: Collins Middle School, Nathaniel Bowditch School, Saltonstall School, Salem Academy | Restricted? Restored? Restricted. Some Phragmites removed January 2003. |
| Location Salisbury, MA, Old County Road | Years Monitored 2001 only | Participating Schools & Groups Salisbury Elementary School | Restricted? Restored? Restricted |
| Location Salisbury, MA, Railrod bed off Mudnock Road (Town Creek) | Years Monitored 1998-2015 | Participating Schools & Groups Salisbury Elementary School, Mass Audubon | Restricted? Restored? Tidal Restriction Transects are downstream of restriction. Downstream transects flooded by closed tidegate killing downstream plants in spring 2004. Site washed out in spring 2005. |
| Location Wellfleet, MA, Herring River | Years Monitored 2000-2004 | Participating Schools & Groups Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School | Restricted? Restored? Restricted |
| Location Wellfleet, MA, Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary | Years Monitored 1999-2001 | Participating Schools & Groups Mass Audubon | Restricted? Restored? Unrestricted |
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