Protecting and stewarding coastal land is central to our mission. We conduct science to advance land management and protection that will benefit fish and wildlife. We focus on intertidal and upland resource management issues that include development, invasive species, resource use, habitat alteration, and climate change—the major drivers of ecological change in the Great Bay Estuary.

Helping to Sustain our Salt Marshes

For more than a decade, the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve has led local and national efforts to understand how salt marshes are changing—and how we can protect them. Our work includes monitoring long-term habitat change, modeling the impacts of sea level rise, and developing tools to assess and enhance marsh resilience. 

Featured Projects

• New Hampshire Salt Marsh Plan:  This spatial planning resource provides a comprehensive look at the resiliency of New Hampshire’s tidal marshes. The Plan can inform strategic decisions about where to invest in restoration and land protection to help sustain our marshes.  Learn more >
• High resolution tidal wetland maps: We produced publicly available, high-resolution maps of tidal wetlands in partnership with NOAA. These foundational datasets have informed a range of spatial planning tools and conservation strategies.  Learn more >
• New Hampshire SLAMM:  We modeled how coastal habitats will shift in response to rising seas using the Sea Level Affecting Marsh Migration Model (SLAMM), which was re-run in 2022 using the latest high-resolution data. Learn more >
• Opportunities for Protecting Marsh Migration Pathways: This collaborative project identified priority locations and strategies to protect the upland areas that salt marshes need in order to migrate inland as sea levels rise. Learn more >
• An Ecological Approach to Designing Salt Marshes: By combining tidal data and high-resolution habitat and elevation data, we identified the elevation ranges of plant species assemblages and ecotone boundaries within the Great Bay Estuary. These data can support restoration and adaptation project design. Learn more >
• A National Analysis of Marsh Resilience:  Working with research reserves across the country, we developed a way to assess tidal marsh resilience at the landscape scale through GIS-based metrics of marsh condition, vulnerability to sea level rise, and potential for adaptation. Learn more about the project and read the journal article.
• Salt Marsh Research: Learn more about other coastal research projects led or supported by the Great Bay Reserve here.

 Developing Tools for Land Management

As we care for reserve lands around Great Bay, we are continually exploring and refining the best ways to manage them. Along the way, we’ve helped develop practical tools and tested stewardship techniques that support thoughtful, science-based land management. Some of these efforts have grown into statewide resources that can benefit landowners, land trusts, municipalities, and others involved in conservation.

Featured Projects

• Picking our Battles: With invasive species that is! We teamed up with more than 120 partners to develop a state-wide map to help manage invasive plant species. Learn more >
• Trails for People and Wildlife: This statewide mapping tool provides guidance to help people locate trails that will allow people to enjoy nature and wildlife to thrive. Learn more >