Gulf of Maine Projects1996 Coastal Habitat Restoration Report
Project OverviewThis report and an associated database of restoration projects are intended to increase the effectiveness of coastal habitat and species restoration in the Gulf of Maine by expanding coordination and facilitating information exchange. The project was initiated in October 1996 in accordance with one of the priority goals of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (GOMC): to "Identify, protect, and restore the Gulf’s terrestrial, coastal and marine habitats." GOMC is a collaborative organization formed by the states and provinces of the Gulf (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia) that strives to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations. Various types of information have been collected and are included in this report, including data on contacts (i.e., consultants, researchers, managers), bibliographic references, information on existing evaluative methodologies, and information on the restoration of tidal marshes, freshwater impoundment construction, tidal flats, seagrass, dunes, seabird populations, and anadromous fish. Information specific to past and current tidal marsh, freshwater impoundment, tidal flat, and seagrass restoration projects was entered into a database on coastal wetlands (Table 1). Although information on dunes and restoration of seabirds and anadromous fish is presented in this report, it was not included in the database, due to the types of data collected and because central sources for data already exist. The database was constructed using Microsoft AccessTM and currently contains descriptive information such as project location, site and work descriptions, information on monitoring, and contact information. During data collection, several sources of information on potential tidal marsh restoration projects were uncovered. These sources have identified approximately 350 sites in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine that have restoration potential. These sites were combined and added to the database to assist in future project implementation and to expose restoration opportunities (Table 2). Similar sources of information on potential projects were not found for Canada. The database, as well as this report, will be made available on the Gulf of Maine Council’s Website at www.gulfofmaine.org.
Number and acreage represent those projects for which information was collected and entered into the database as of March 1998. Projects indicated are underway or complete. Acreage does not imply that the number of acres shown were "successfully" restored.
A total of 355 tidal marsh sites have been identified in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine as of April 1998. 3,746 acres were tallied for 260 of these sites. Since acreage is based on fewer than the total sites identified, acreage is underestimated. Sources of data and information are listed in Section 3. Key FindingsKey findings are provided for each of the major categories for which information was collected. More detailed information is provided in the Sections to follow and in the Coastal Wetland Restoration Database.
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