Our Work on the Coast

Mass Audubon’s approach to Coastal Resilience uses climate adaptation and nature-based climate solutions to focus on the protection, management, and restoration of four coastal priority habitats. These habitats include salt marshes, bird breeding islands, beaches, and coastal uplands.

Our goal is to help these habitats cope with, respond to, and prepare for current and future climate change impacts in order to preserve these environments and ecosystem services for both wildlife and people.

This is an interdisciplinary effort to conserve new land, manage and restore our coastal properties, assist partners in coastal restoration efforts on non-Mass Audubon land, and create outreach initiatives to communicate our efforts and educate the public on the necessity of coastal resiliency.

Priority Coastal Habitats

Salt Marshes

Salt marshes are coastal wetlands that are flooded and drained by salt water that is brought in with the tides. Due to sea level rise, many Massachusetts salt marshes are drowning in place, which is leading to the loss of essential functions (flood abatement, storm protection, etc.) and release of stored carbon.

Through climate adaptation and restoration techniques, Mass Audubon is enhancing resiliency of salt marshes to maintain their invaluable ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and coastline protection (ex. Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary).

Coastal Uplands

Coastal uplands (grasslands, shrublands, forests, and pine barrens) surround marine environments such as salt marshes and beaches and serve as important coastal habitat migration zones. Strategies Mass Audubon are implementing such as cranberry bog restoration (ex. Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary) and invasive species control help promote habitat connectivity and coastal habitat migration.

Bird Breeding Islands, Massachusetts Bay

Bird Breeding Islands are small, often rocky, coastal islands that serve as important nesting habitats for migratory birds. For example, Kettle Island Wildlife Sanctuary is the single most important wading bird breeding site in Massachusetts. Our work is improving conditions to support nesting and migratory birds by addressing threats including human disturbance, mammalian predation/disturbance, and habitat change.

Beaches

Barrier beaches serve a valuable role in coastal protection by absorbing wave energy and preventing flooding that impacts coastal communities and ecosystems. Mass Audubon’s Coastal Waterbird Program has been protecting and managing barrier beaches since 1986. With additional support from the Coastal Resilience Program, Mass Audubon will continue to protect this habitat through beach renourishment projects and coastal shorebird management to allow these birds species to persist and adapt to climate change impacts.

Piping Plover © Jason Goldstein

Coastal Waterbirds

Mass Audubon's Coastal Waterbird Program (CWP) is one of the most effective entities working to protect coastal birds and barrier beaches in North America.
Horseshoe Crab

Horseshoe Crab Monitoring

Horseshoe crabs have been crawling ashore in Massachusetts to mate on full moon nights for about 350 million years, and Mass Audubon seeks to ensure this ancient rite of spring continues. But increased harvesting of these fascinating animals threatens their population.
Ecological Restoration of Salt Marshes

Ecological restoration can help heal past damage and prepare salt marshes to withstand climate change and continue to thrive into the future.
Allens Pond, South Dartmouth

Protecting Salt Marshes at Allens Pond

Visitors to Mass Audubon’s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in South Dartmouth and Westport may be curious if they spot groups of individuals digging on the sanctuary’s salt marsh.