Habitats

Coastal habitats on the North Shore provide extraordinary ecological value, with more than 53,000 acres that are home to some of New England’s most beloved wildlife and many rare and threatened species. We have nearly 20% of the state’s piping plovers, half of its saltmarsh sparrows, most of the region’s seabeach needle grass, nurseries for commercial species, and tens of thousands of migrating shorebirds and waterfowl.

Despite this abundance of riches, only about 25% of our coastal habitats are permanently protected from development, and they face increasing peril from climate-driven changes. Such impacts go beyond intensified storms and sea level rise to include the ocean’s warming temperatures and acidification. These effects—compounded by pollution, contamination, and sedimentation—could significantly degrade and destroy mudflats, eelgrass and shellfish beds, rocky coastlines, and cobble shores. If we fail to act now, we risk losing natural habitats and species not just today, but forever.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS AND OTHER THREATS

Our region features a mosaic of habitats facing powerful threats. Development, for instance, eliminates and degrades sensitive habitat and decreases the ability of shorelines to protect habitats by migrating landward. Tidal restrictions in the form of hundreds of culverts, bridges, and dams impede the full flow of water and migratory species such as river herring in our estuaries and salt marshes. Climate change promises to worsen these devastating environmental impacts by causing the loss of:

Intertidal Zones Sea level rise may permanently inundate some clam flats in places like Essex and Ipswich, while pollution and contamination could lead to closures.

Eelgrass, which provides nursery habitat for commercially import- ant shellfish and fisheries and also stabilizes sediments, removes pollutants, and sequesters carbon. Eelgrass may be affected by higher ocean temperatures, among other changes.

Wildlife, including migrating shorebirds and threatened species such as salt marsh sparrows. Habitats and nesting areas could be destroyed when salt and freshwater marsh is submerged, rocky intertidal areas flood, and sandy shorelines erode.

Shellfish Beds, which have already been closed south of Cape Ann due to contaminants exacerbated by storm runoff. Cold water species such as cod and lobster are moving to deeper waters as ocean temperatures increase, while species like fiddler crabs from warmer climates are moving in.

CURRENT COASTAL STRATEGIES

What is urgently needed now is active, on-the- ground work that reduces habitat loss while sustaining its important functions. Ongoing strategies include:

Creating Artificial Living Reefs that protect coastal communities and private property while maintaining natural ecosystems and habitats. Marblehead and Swampscott are considering living reef breakwaters as natural barriers to mitigate climate change effects and increase sea life diversity.

Restoring Submerged Aquatic Vegetation that filters polluted runoff and reduces erosion, among other benefits. Through a pilot project, for example, Boston University researchers successfully restored eelgrass in Essex Bay and Plum Island Sound.

Acquiring and Protecting Habitat Areas and Migration Corridors Most recently, Castle Neck River Reservation was opened by Greenbelt and Ipswich with the state Department of Fish and Game. The property contains fields and farmland, river frontage, and habitat for more than 70 species of birds.

Recovering Threatened and Endangered Wildlife Species With a successful nesting season last year, we continue to make strides in restoring piping plovers to the North Shore.

Removing Tidal Restrictions to enhance natural sediment and tidal flow to the Great Marsh. Together with Ipswich, The Trustees is installing a larger culvert under Argilla Road while Manchester plans to remove a tide gate and restore natural habitats to Sawmill Brook.

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

We need to focus on conserving and increasing the resiliency of coastal habitats, recognizing that The Great Marsh—the largest salt marsh habitat in New England—is one of the most ecologically intact areas worthy of protection statewide. Effective adaptation requires immediately developing and evaluating best practices and introducing innovative, at-scale solutions. Based on our findings, we propose:

Creating Bold, Regional Strategies for Increasing Funding and Implementing Plans to protect coastal habitats from the risks of exist- ing and future flood-prone development.

Expanding Restoration and Remediation Work to fortify diverse ecosystems and create the largest and most resilient salt marsh in New England—and the entire Northeast.

Developing Forward-Looking, Adaptive Regulations to provide incentives and pathways for innovative, sustainable solutions that protect and enhance coastal habitats regionwide.

Continuing Long-Term Monitoring and Research With Clear Metrics and Coordination to improve our understanding of coastal conditions and gauge whether interventions are working. We must enact climate-based practices and policies that protect our region’s habitats and other natural resources.