Life and Death of the Salt Marsh

Summary of Selection 10

All along the eastern coast of North America is a long strip of green salt marsh. The border shifts as the tides move in and out. There is a wide variety of wildlife. Healthy marshes smell like salt and grasses, in a healthy marsh the hydrogen sulfide smell is very faint. The matted plant roots and mud make the ground spongy, and it becomes muddier as you move towards the coast as there are fewer roots beneath. At high tide the grasses poking out of the water are places where animals hide from the water.

Damage to the marshes occurs when they are dredged, filled, polluted and build upon. They have benefits to us left in their natural state. Some damage is necessary as roads are build so people can visit and enjoy them and for boat launches. Excessive building brings up the old battle of development vs. conservation. The salt marshes should be preserved as any other natural masterpiece or National Park (for example, the Everglades).