Coastal Wetlands - Key to Supporting Life in the Watershed

The salt marshes of the York River estuary are some of the best examples of overall ecosystem health in Maine and provide many benefits.

Much of the York River watershed includes important natural areas such as undeveloped forests and intact vegetated buffers along streams, wetlands and salt marshes. These areas in the York River watershed provide critical habitat to diverse and rare species. Historically overlooked in Maine, salt marshes are unique natural areas that offer benefits that range from increasing climate resiliency to boosting the local economy.

Salt marshes are coastal wetlands. When you see a salt marsh, the first thing you’ll notice is the grass-dominated landscape. These grasses are flooded by salty water brought in with the tide. In areas where freshwater rivers and streams meet the salt marsh, a nutrient-rich habitat is created. Approximately two-thirds of commercially valuable fish, shellfish, and bait species in the Gulf of Maine depend on salt marshes for at least part of their life cycle.

Estuaries create a wide range of special habitats, including fringing marshes, salt marshes, and tidal flats. The York River estuary and its salt marshes provide critical habitat for many fish and bird species. Photo Credit: Jerry Monkman, Ecophotography.com.

The York River watershed contains the largest intact coastal wetland area in southern Maine, with approximately 500 acres of salt marsh habitat that represent about 10% of York County’s salt marshes. According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), the York River estuary is one of the Gulf of Maine’s least disturbed marsh-estuarine ecosystems and may be the Gulf of Maine’s most ecologically diverse coastal drainage for its size.

"The salt marsh and aquatic habitat provided by the York River and its watershed are extremely valuable, supporting spawning and breeding for at-risk species such as salt marsh sparrow, rainbow smelt, and tidal wading and shorebirds. Portions of the river and its watershed [have been named] as Beginning with Habitat State Focus Area and an Exemplary Natural Community because the plant diversity and overall ecosystem health represent some of the best examples in Maine." ~ Claire Enterline, Research Coordinator for the Maine Coastal Program

The statewide ecological importance of these areas was identified with help from MDIFW’s Beginning with Habitat Program. Through this cooperative effort, the program provided data and produced maps for Maine that were utilized by the York River Study Committee. These data highlight critical natural habitats within the watershed. These resources can be found at the York River study website’s maps page.

One Beginning with Habitat map shows significant vernal pools, locations of endangered, threatened or species of concern, and inland waterfowl/wading bird habitat (tidal waterfowl/wading bird habitat not included). Map created by Susan Bickford, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Local planners use the information from the Beginning with Habitat program to answer the question ‘What do we want our community to look like in 50 years?’ With the looming threats of a changing climate, that question can be difficult to answer. A 2017 Nature Conservancy study of resilient coastal sites in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic offered insight into this question. The research showed that without proactive protection, over 80% of tidal habitats could be lost to severe inundation of sea level rise. The study also identified uniquely resilient coastal ecosystems, including the York River watershed, that could actually expand their area. With the upper sections of the York River estuary marshes surrounded by undeveloped blocks of wetlands and forest, salt marshes have the potential to migrate into these adjacent undeveloped lands as sea level rises and potentially increase coastal wetland habitat in the watershed.

The protection of climate-resilient areas will be critical to combating some of the most pressing effects of sea level rise. By preserving the undeveloped areas throughout the York River watershed, the salt marshes can maintain or expand their range and offset tidal habitat loss for the species dependent on them. In addition, intact marshes buffer people and properties from the effects of storms and floods into the future and help maintain water quality. Planning around these areas is also important for the local economy. Protecting the native fish species allows for continued recreational and commercial fishing; preparing for climate resilience can save the local economy hundreds of thousands of dollars from the worst effects of natural disasters like flooding; and undeveloped natural areas are important for community character and recreation.

The York River watershed contains the greatest diversity of threatened and endangered species of any Maine region, with species such as the saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow. Photo credit: David J. Murray, ClearEyePhoto.com.

One of the primary stewardship goals for the York River is to protect valuable natural communities, habitats, biodiversity, and water resources of the York River watershed through key actions and investments. By conducting surveys, preserving key habitat blocks, working with local towns and stakeholders, and creating standards and goals to address sea level rise, the York River Study Committee hopes the York River watershed’s unique communities and habitats will be protected well into the future.

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