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11 Ways You Can Enjoy Salt Marshes Also Show Why They Need Protection
Coastal wetlands—ecologically and economically vital—are a paradise for birdwatchers, fishermen, and water lovers
11 Ways You Can Enjoy Salt Marshes Also Show Why They Need Protection
Scattered oyster bars and ample salt marsh of the southeast coast are part of a healthy coastal ecosystem that attracts anglers, such as these fly fishermen, from near and far.
DieterMeyrl
Getty Images
For millions of people around the U.S., fun on the coast means more than just a dip in the ocean.
Coastal salt marshes, which lie between the land and sea, are home to abundant wildlife that gives rise to activities ranging from fishing to photography. Many of these tidal wetlands also are home to cultural sites and state parks that offer hiking, kayaking, camping, and other outdoor recreation.
Salt marshes also help protect shorelines from flooding and storm surge, yet these versatile ecosystems are threatened by rising seas, polluted runoff, and poorly planned development.
To help counter those threats, government, military, and community leaders in the Southeast have launched the South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative, which aims to conserve about 1 million acres of marsh stretching from North Carolina to north Florida—an area about the size of Grand Canyon National Park and home to installations for every branch of the military.
The initiative is driven by the myriad reasons to protect salt marsh, from bolstering national security and economic strength to sustaining healthy wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Here are 11 ways people can enjoy these captivating areas.
A woman surveys salt marsh at Honey Horn Plantation on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Richard Ellis
Alamy Stock Photo
Spot wildlife. It takes a little luck but no special skills to catch a glimpse of the huge variety of life in salt marshes, which in the Southeast includes animals ranging from otters and rabbits to bottlenose dolphins and bald eagles. In fact, the birdwatching is particularly superb, with a dizzying array of species, from ospreys and belted kingfishers to great blue herons and the salt marsh sparrow, which is under review for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. For some of the hottest birding locations, check out Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina or Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, home to Florida’s second-most-famous pink birds, roseate spoonbills.
A roseate spoonbill—one of many birds that thrive in salt marsh—takes flight in Florida.
Michael J. Cohen
Getty Images
Go oystering and crabbing. Jump in a boat or head into a marsh on foot to find abundant populations of shellfish, including blue crabs and oysters. Remember to observe any harvest guidelines.
Visit the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which stretches from North Carolina to north Florida and includes museums, gardens, trails, and other stops that teach the history of enslaved Africans who worked on plantations. And if you work up an appetite, stop at a Gullah/Geechee restaurant along the corridor for some traditional dishes such as shrimp and grits.
A sweetgrass basket weaver showcases her skills at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, near Charleston. The plantation offers historical and cultural education about the Gullah/Geechee people, who are descendants of enslaved Africans.
Richard Ellis
Alamy Stock Photo
Take photos. Swaying spartina grasses with a watery backdrop are among the most scenic places in the Southeast.
Get on the water. Canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding are peaceful ways to explore the wending edges and inner passages of marshes.
Stand-up paddle boarding offers intimate views of salt marsh, like these tidal wetlands in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Cavan Images
Alamy Stock Photo
Cast a line from shore, dock, or boat—on your own or with a guide—for some of the region’s seafood staples, from redfish and spotted seatrout to flounder and sheepshead. Remember to comply with local fishing regulations.
Eat seafood from one of the thousands of markets and restaurants in the region, many of which offer saltmarsh views and fresh catch daily.
A man in South Carolina carries a tray of cooked blue crabs, a delicacy that can be found in salt marshes.
Willie B. Thomas
Getty Images
Hunt waterfowl. Salt marshes are popular with hunters seeking species of duck, including scaup, canvasback, redheads, widgeon, and mallards. Follow hunting regulations and guidelines.
A mottled duck wades in the water in Georgia, where waterfowl hunting is a popular sport.
Danita Delimont
Alamy Stock Photo
Become an early riser. There’s nothing quite like sunrise over a salt marsh. But if you’re an inveterate late sleeper, don’t fret: There’s nothing like a marsh sunset either.