Restoring Tidal Wetlands : Restoration Of Natural Habitats

How does the vegetation vary between the part of the marsh east of I280 and that

Human activities pose a threat to Seagrass beds because of boating, stepping on the seagrass, which damage the root system, dredging, pollution and construction practices.

It has become common for sand dunes to be bulldozed to improve the views to the sea. However this destroys the natural protection of the coast. Human activities such as water transport also can cause problems for coastal areas. The dredging of navigation channels and the discharging of the material in deep water to enable larger ships to travel though water channels removes sediment from the coastal system leaving the area susceptible to erosion and will also interfere with longshore drift which will prevent the coastal beach landforms from being maintained such as the development of a spit. It is likely that a spit will be eroded and start to regress in conditions such as these.

In 1985, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) evaluated the Silver Creek Wetland, and qualified it for environmental protection. A re-evaluation was done in 1995, and a decision was made to combine three areas into one complex. The provincially significant wetland is listed as “unimpaired” and protection was recommended in 2000 by Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority’s watershed health monitoring summary. As the area provides vital biological, social, and hydro geological functions, protection is crucial. Not only does the area act as flood control, water purification, and sediment containment, it is a prime fishing location for locals as it provides a cold-water habitat and spawning grounds for several varieties of game fish such as brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Numerous species of birds, such as the Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia), the great egret (Ardea alba), the black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), and other waterfowl also favour the staging and feeding grounds that the

At Nudgee Beach, erosion was found to have occurred on the edges of the mangrove forest and along the mudflat shorelines. Erosion is typically influenced by natural factors and occurs when pieces of weathered rock or soil are moved – typically by wind and water – from one place to another. Shorelines with lots of sediment and sand are more inclined to be effected by erosional progression. Erosion may also be provoked and accelerated by human interference. For example, if the decision to clear trees and plants from an area is made, erosion is likely to occur as the root systems of plants work to hold the soil in place. If these root systems are removed and erosion does occur, environmental conditions – such as; landslides and flooding – are more likely to take place. Erosion may also cause other plants to tip over, have their underground roots exposed and damaged and contribute to the pollution of local waters; as a result of mud and soil runoff [26]. Erosion at Nudgee Beach was likely to have been influenced by natural factors; however, the development and extension of the Kedron Brook golfing course may contribute to the acceleration of erosional processes and further damage the mangrove

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. About half of the Bay’s water volume comes from salt water from the Atlantic Ocean. The other half drains into the Bay from its enormous 64,000-square-mile watershed. Estuaries are among the most productive environments on earth, creating more organic matter each year than similarly-sized forests and agricultural areas. Estuaries also provide diverse habitats for wildlife and aquatic life, protect our communities against flooding, reduce pollution of waterways, and support local economies through commercial and recreational activities. Thousands of species

* The efforts of “Terrigal Lagoon Bushcare” have been largely successful in keeping the lagoons around Terrigal ecosystems. Their actions have helped the native plants compete with the introduced species.

Mangroves are trees and shrubs forming forests on the coastal wetlands, typically growing between saltmarsh and seagrass beds. Sydney Olympic park is the main habitat for the grey Mangrove and the planted river

With oxygen levels in the dead zone being so low during the summer months marine life is almost nonexistent. This not only hurts the wild life of Louisiana’s coast but, also its economy and fishing based culture. In the future with the normal levels of oxygen returning to our gulf we can hope to see wild life slowly but surely returning. Also there is hope for the conservation and growth of the wetlands through the nutrient rich canals developed, enhancing Louisiana’s economy, culture, and

So far, many measures have been taken to conserve Oshawa’s Second Marsh. Firstly, a dike was created along Harmony Creek to prevent the sediment- and nutrient-overloaded water from directly entering the marsh, which can improve water quality (Wilcox & Whillans, 1999). A fish pathway has been built along the dike, which can used to prevent carp from getting into the wetland, and a water-control structure was also constructed, which allows water to get in or out when required (Wilcox & Whillans, 1999). Secondly, several methods, including physical harvesting, chemical control, and biological control, have been used to control and manage invasive species (Wilcox & Whillans, 1999). And, variety of native vegetation was planted in the Marsh. For

The erosion of shorelines is a natural process that can have beneficial or adverse impacts on the creation and maintenance of habitats. Sands and gravels eroded from the shores of coastal bays maintain the beach as a natural barrier between the open water and coastal wetlands. Beaches move back and forth onshore, offshore and along shore with changing wave conditions. The finer-grained silts and clays derived from the erosion of shorelines are sorted and carried as far as the waters of wetlands or tidal flats, where benefits are derived from addition of the new material. However, excessively high sediment loads can smother submerged aquatic vegetation beds, cover shellfish beds and tidal flats, fill in riffle

The people that live in the marshlands were influenced by the texture and what the land provided for them. The marshlands provided them with water and reeds, so they used them to make reed houses and water to transport to form their culture. In the text it said that “Local architecture plays an important role in the culture of the marsh”. They used what they had in their region to make a working culture, and a functioning place for people to

The vegetation provides shade to regulate water temperature, the plants’ root structure serves to stabilize the banks and reduce erosion, the leaf litter input to the stream provides nutrients for aquatic organisms, and large woody debris deposits contribute to habitat structure.

Seagrasses are essential primary producers that provide habitat and refuge to fauna. Anthropogenic influences have caused global loss of seagrasses and a major contributor is eutrophication, which increases phytoplankton and algal populations, reduces light availability, and causes daily hypoxic conditions. Eutrophication is commonly linked to declines in temperate conditions and is more difficult to link to tropical systems since decreases are typically related to physical damage and diminishing light conditions from runoff. Climate change, herbivore declines, disease and overfishing, along with anthropogenic impacts from coastal development, run-off, eutrophication, and aquaculture have caused declines in coral reefs and mangrove systems. These three systems are interconnected and when one system is impacted, secondary impacts are observed in the other systems; coastal ecosystems will be adversely effected and decline. Additional research, conservation, and ways to reduce anthropogenic impacts have been discussed. Restoration is used to reverse habitat loss, although success is varied. Coastal systems and the biological and ecosystem services they provide, may take decades to establish. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are instituted to protect systems from further degradation, restore communities and allow them to flourish naturally. However, local residents are affected by MPAs and may become displaced, have restriction placed on their livelihood, or elimination of their

I decided to test the ecological status of the wetland by gathering samples from the wetland and testing it for various aspects in the water and the plants that are found within the area.