2020 Vision

Welcome, winter. Your late dawns and chilled b reath make me lazy, but I love you nonetheless. ~Terri Guillemets

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2020 VISION How The Wetlands Institute Plans to Build on Its 50-Year Legacy

Clean dredge material being used to build habitat.

By Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director of The Wetlands Institute 8534720 Atlantic City, New Jersey

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that few people were aware of the critical services the marsh provided through protection from storm surges and flooding.

Mills decided to do something about it. He had a vision: undisturbed salt marsh acting as a buffer and a nursery, sustaining the life within and around it, and a world-class organization dedicated to learning about it to ensure its conservation and to educating people about the importance of protecting it.

For the past 50 years, The Wetlands Institute has embraced Mill’s vision and worked to address the challenges affecting the health and well-being of these marshes and the wildlife that depend on them. Our roots trace back to these early days, and the uninterrupted work that has been done here is incredibly powerful. As scientists, our ability to document change relies on detailed records of conditions in the past. The Wetlands Institute, thanks to the tireless work of so many before us, is extremely well-positioned to take on a leadership role

studying, preserving, and conserving these marshes and coastal ecosystems now and well into the future.

Now more than ever, the threats to these marshes are acute. The onslaught of rapidly rising sea is at the forefront of issues affecting the entire back-bay system, our beaches, and our island communities. There is no question the change is already here, and critical questions emerge about how the role of wetlands is changing as a life-support system for fisheries, migratory birds, and storm protection. What does it mean for their future? For our future?

If we consider what measured sea level looks like, the best records come from nearby Atlantic City where sea level has been rising at a rate of 0.16 inches per year, which may not sound like a lot – but that is equivalent to 1.34 feet of rise in the last 100 years. If it’s helpful to think about what that actually means for the marshes, below is a graph that shows the actual water level measured in the marsh at The Wetlands Institute as part of a detailed

Marsh flooding measured at The Wetlands Institute.

Water levels above the red line flood the marshes.

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s our year of celebrations for the 50 anniversary of The Wetlands Institute comes to a close, it’s fitting to look forward to the next 50 years.

Throughout the year we have reflected upon the remarkable legacy of research, conservation, education, and stewardship that underpins the impact of The Wetlands Institute in our community and beyond.

It’s a history I am proud to be a part of, but even more so, it’s the opportunity to lead our 2020 vision for the future that I am so keen to tackle.

Fifty years ago, Herbert Mills, founding director of The Wetlands Institute, saw the future. If left unchecked, rampant development would consume the vast acreage of salt marsh stretching the length of South Jersey’s Atlantic coast. He knew that the loss of such an invaluable resource would be catastrophic for the incredible network of life that depends on the marshes for food and shelter, as well as the coastal communities that benefit from the marshes for recreation and aesthetic value. He also knew th

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Flooding frequency for Seven Mile Beach based on water elevations measured from 2003 to 2018.

Sea level as measured at Atlantic City showing sea level rising at a rate that has resulted in 1.34 feet of rise in the last 100 years.

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marsh monitoring program we have established. Every time the water elevation goes above the red line, the marsh is flooded. Perhaps you have noticed that the marsh seems to be underwater a lot more frequently than in the past. Finally, we can look at the number of times, on average, that the water level floods above a certain elevation and better understand nuisance flooding of the island community. On average, water levels are higher than 3 feet 67 times each year. In areas on the island without bulkheads, or where bulkheads are too low, this typically equates to flooding of bayside streets.

How do we protect our marshes so they persist in the face of changing and intensifying threats? How do we ensure healthy populations of our coastal wildlife? Without intervention, our marshes, beaches, and the back bay itself will be dramatically different. They are already changing. Our vision for 2020 and beyond is focused on working on this seminal issue.

The Wetlands Institute has partnered with state and federal agencies, universities and other nonprofits to gather needed information about our marshes and to test methods to lift up marshes and create habitat for select wildlife species suffering most directly from rising seas. This past April, along with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, The Wetlands Institute helped launch the Seven Mile Island Living Laboratory as a think tank and demonstration area to help develop innovative interventions to mitigate some of the effects of rapidly rising sea level.

A key concept behind the Seven Mile Island Living Lab is to develop ways to utilize sand and mud that is clogging back-bay channels and basins, to help marshes keep up with sea-level rise

or to build elevated habitat for wildlife that are losing important nesting and feeding grounds. The area is serving as a test bed for novel projects that are strategic, innovative, and cost-effective sediment management practices that beneficially use clean dredged material. So far, there have been three projects including a marsh-enhancement project in the marshes behind Avalon and projects to build elevated nesting habitat for black skimmers, terns and American oystercatchers. These projects were on Ring Island behind The Wetlands Institute, and at Great Flats across from Nummy Island.

The projects have been successful in that they helped raise the elevation of the study marsh and created new habitat for beach-nesting birds. Upcoming projects seek to extend these successes by developing new techniques to elevate marsh islands and provide protection for marsh Dredged sand was used to elevate low-lying marsh to create nesting habitat for at-risk birds. edge erosion. Look for more projects to be announced in the coming months.

As we look forward to the future, we have 2020 vision for how to address the critical challenges facing our marshes.

The scientists at The Wetlands Institute and our partners, work hard every day to balance caution with strategic experWinter at The Wetlands Institute iments. These are bold projects that are be be cold butit’sit’s always in The Wetlands Institute.

It may coldoutside, outside, but always warmwarm in The Wetlands Institute. Join us not without risk, but these times call for It may all winter long for seasonal science activities, interactive animal encounters, bold efforts. Our success will depend Join us all winter long for seasonal science activities, interactive animal Winter at The Wetlands and science features every Saturday and Sunday Institute from 9:30am to 4:30pm. on strong leadership and clear vision. encounters, science features every Saturday andInstitute.

Sunday from Itand may be cold outside, but it’s always warm in The Wetlands Visit wetlandsinstitute.org/events to see what’s happening here!

Thanks to excellent vision in the past and 9:30am to 4:30pm.

Join us all winter long for seasonal science activities, interactive animal Visit wetlandsinstitute.org/events to see what’s encounters, and science features every Saturday Winter Lecture Seriesand Sunday from a strong foundation, The Wetlands Instihappening here!

9:30am to 4:30pm. Visit wetlandsinstitute.org/events to see what’s Our winter lecture series consists of weekly daytime or monthly evening pretute is prepared to lead again. More inhappening here! sentations occurring on-site at The Wetlands Institute. Throughout the series, formation about the Seven Mile Island Winter Lecture Series Lecture Series guest presenters from around Winter the region share presentations on a variety of Living Lab, The Wetlands Institute history, Our winter Our winter lecture series consists of weekly daytime or monthly series consists of weekly daytime or monthly scientificlecture and cultural topics.

Visit wetlandsinstitute.org/winter-lecture-series evening presentations occurring onsite at The Wetlands Institute. and all of our work, can be found on our for details. evening presentations occurring onsitefrom at around The Wetlands Throughout the series, guest presenters the region Institute. website (wetlandsinstitute.org) or by share presentations on a variety of scientific and cultural topics.the Visit region Throughout the series, guestHoliday presenters from around Gift Ideas coming for a visit. wetlandsinstitute.org/winter-lecture-series for details. for a meaningful that also wetland coastaltopics. ecosys- Visit shareLooking presentations on agift variety of supports scientific and and cultural Holiday Gift Ideas tem conservation?

Here are some great ideas: wetlandsinstitute.org/winter-lecture-series forand details.

Looking for a meaningful gift that also supports wetland coastal • Ourecosystem Tidepoolconservation?

Shop is stocked with unique gifts and nature books for Here are some great ideas: all ages.

• Our Tidepool Shop is stockedGift with unique gifts and nature books Holiday Ideas • Give thefor gift flexibility with a gift card that can be redeemed for allof ages.

Looking for a• meaningful gift that supports wetland Give the gift of flexibility withalso a Gift Card that can be redeemedand coastal Institute merchandise, event tickets, and more! for Institute merchandise, event tickets, and more! ecosystem conservation? someInstitute great supports ideas: our mission • A gift of membershipHere to Theare Wetlands • A gift of Membership to The Wetlands Institute supports our and allows us to advance our impactful research, conservation, and books • Our Tidepool Shop is stocked with gifts and nature mission and allows us to advance our unique impactful research, education work. for all ages.conservation, and education work.

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OurOur symbolic Terrapin, • Adoptions make great symbolic Terrapin, Horseshoe Horseshoe Crab, • Giveand theAmerican gift ofandOystercatcher flexibility with a Gift Card that can be Crab, American Oystercatcher adoptions are a great way to redeemed adoptions are a great way to directly directly impact conservation! impact conservation! for Institute merchandise, event tickets, and more!

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Clean sand from dredging the Intracoastal Waterway was used to build habitat at Great Flats in January.

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A gift of Membership to The Wetlands Institute supports our mission and allows us to advance our impactful research, conservation, and education work.

Adoptions make great gifts! Our symbolic Terrapin, Horseshoe Crab, and American Oystercatcher adoptions are a great way to directly impact conservation! s e ve nm ile t im e s .c o m