ARTICLES

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Sudden Wetland Dieback in the Northeast PDF

by Susan C. Adamowicz, Ph.D.

A new form of vegetation loss has been identified at over 40 Northeastern tidal wetland sites, and researchers are looking for answers. In this article, Susan Adamowicz examines this unusual phenomenon, known as sudden wetland dieback, and looks at what steps have been taken thus far to understand it.

As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Land Management Research and Demonstration Biologist, Dr. Susan Adamowicz focuses on salt marsh restoration and management research. Stationed at the Rachel Carson and Parker River National Wildlife Refuges in northern New England, she also consults on coastal wetland issues throughout the United States.

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The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Coastal Program PDF

by Dallas Miner

Coastal ecosystems comprise less than 10 percent of the nation’s land area, but support far greater proportions of our living resources. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program seeks to protect those species that depend on coastal habitats for survival through voluntary, community-based fish and wildlife conservation projects.

Dallas Miner is a Program Specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Branch of Habitat Restoration, which includes the Partners for Fish and Wildlife and Coastal Programs.

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Restoring Habitat to Benefit Endangered Species: Two Case Studies PDF

by Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, Daniel Murphy, and David Gordon

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service relies on the strength and support of others to successfully restore high-priority habitat. The Huntington Beach State Park Project in South Carolina and the Pocomoke River Conservation Partnership in Maryland are prime examples of the use of cooperative conservation.

Leopoldo Miranda-Castro is the Senior Science and Technology Manager for the Coastal and Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Daniel Murphy is Coastal Program Supervisor at the FWS Chesapeake Bay Field Office in Annapolis, Maryland. David Gordon was the Coastal Program Coordinator in South Carolina and now works as a program biologist at FWS Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

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An Initial Restoration Tool for Submersed Aquatic Vegetation PDF

by Hyun Jung Cho and Christopher A. May

Healthy submersed aquatic vegetation beds provide food and habitat for wildlife, improve water quality, and protect our shores from erosion. Determining where underwater plant life will thrive is therefore essential to any coastal restoration project. In this article, the authors describe a tool for predicting potential growth.

Dr. Hyun Jung “J.” Cho is an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi, where she teaches Wetland Ecology and Environmental Science. Her primary research interest has been ecology and restoration of aquatic vegetation habitat. Christopher A. May is a natural resources specialist with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources’ Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Moss Point, Mississippi. In addition to SAV mapping and monitoring, his current projects include restoration of oyster beds and invasive species management.

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The National Fish Habitat Action Plan: A New Era in Fisheries Conservation PDF

by Hannibal Bolton

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan, developed through a collaborative effort by agencies and organizations and approved in April 2006 by the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce, is a call for action to improve degraded fish habitat nationwide. This article describes its origins and accomplishments to date.

Hannibal Bolton is Chief, Division of Fish and Wildlife Management and Habitat Restoration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Converting Salt Ponds to Wetlands: Don Edwards San Francisco Bay PDF

by Clyde Morris and Karla Tanner

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is at the heart of an ambitious effort to turn the tide for wildlife—converting salt ponds formerly owned and operated by the Cargill Corporation into healthy wetlands. This article examines the challenges posed by this daunting project.

Clyde Morris is Project Manager for the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Karla Tanner is Chief of Visitor Services for the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

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