Estuaries Are Crucial for Oregon’s Coastal Communities and Wildlife

Oregon’s estuaries are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, supporting salmon, crab, and other species important to coastal economies and tribal nations. The diverse habitats—eelgrass meadows, salt marshes, and forested tidal wetlands—that occupy the state’s estuaries improve water quality, reduce flooding, and curb the effects of climate change. But these critical coastal areas have been damaged by more than a century of dredging, development, and pollution, and need urgent restoration and protection if they are to thrive and continue providing the many benefits they offer for communities, marine wildlife, and the coastal environment.