Future Tidal Wetlands

Wetland ecosystems, such as marshes and mangroves, serve as vital wildlife habitat, defense against flooding and storms, and carbon storage systems. But sea level rise threatens their future: They must migrate inland to escape encroaching water, or drown.

Planning for coastal wetland migration requires new tools. This working group is developing maps of how sea level rise will reshape the Gulf Coast and identifying potential corridors for today’s wetlands to retreat landward. These tools and guides can be used to protect and manage tidal migration in the Gulf. With room to roam, these wetlands will continue to protect communities, provide home to fish and wildlife, and create a more resilient coastline.

OUR APPROACH: Grounded in applied conservation solutions, this working group is an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, conservation experts and land managers with a wealth of collective experience in wetland conservation and science in the Gulf. The team’s objectives are 1) to create maps identifying where wetland migration corridor conservation will be most effective, and 2) to author guidance documents of marsh migration corridor conservation strategies. These tools will enable conservation decision-makers to strategically select and prioritize areas to reserve for future wetlands and manage wetland migration when necessary.