SASMI Plan
The SASMI Plan is the pathway to the protection, restoration and migration of this great expanse of salt marsh. It reflects the culmination of two years of intensive study, dialogue, and deliberations. This includes understanding that while each of the four SASMI states faces many of the same challenges, these challenges likely vary in severity and extent at the state and local levels. Therefore, achieving landscape-scale success with the regional plan will necessitate a tailored approach to the plan’s implementation that is formulated in partnership and coordination with agencies and other partners at the state and local levels. The strategies included in the plan are intended to be a road map for elected officials, state and federal agencies, communities, NGOs, academic partners and others to work together to ensure the long-term abundance, health and resilience of this vital natural resource.
MARSH FORWARD! A Regional Plan for the Future of the South Atlantic Coast’s Million-Acre Salt Marsh Ecosystem
Media Resources: Click here to access a press release, maps, photos, and b-roll footage.
SASMI Region
News
Keystone initiative centers on salt marsh conservation
3/22/24
The Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched the Salt Marsh Keystone Initiative in January 2024 with funding support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The initiative will work with partners to advance nature-based solutions that increase resilience, protect important natural carbon storage opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, and promote local economies.
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Saving the Salt Marsh
3/14/24
We know our marshes are threatened by rising seas, increasingly intense storms, and over-development. This article shines a spotlight on SASMI and our role in saving the salt marsh, including several efforts currently underway in Georgia to solidify shorelines, protect marsh, and safeguard crucial ecological and cultural resources.
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Pew collaborates with communities, Tribes, governments, and others on conservation projects tailored for a changing planet
3/12/24
The Pew Charitable Trusts’ U.S. Conservation Project focuses on addressing climate change impacts and declining biodiversity using 5 approaches: 1) protect ecosystems, especially those with high biodiversity; 2) conserve, restore, and connect fish and wildlife habitats; 3) help nature withstand changing conditions through climate-ready management planning; 4) prepare communities for climate impacts through resilience planning; and 5) prioritize carbon-storing landscapes. SASMI is and will continue to be an important part of this work.
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Sediment Management Guide Supports Coastal Resilience by Identifying Path to Efficient Permitting
3/7/24
Nature-based solutions to coastal erosion and flooding, such as restoring dunes and wetlands, can help counter the effects of sea level rise, but they often require adding sediment to build up natural features. To add sediment, project managers must navigate a multi-agency regulatory framework for sediment application. The Roadmap provides permit and environmental review guidance for all applicable state and federal agencies, making it a potential blueprint for other communities across the nation seeking to streamline their permitting processes and reduce barriers to habitat restoration.
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Continued Decline of Wetlands Documented in New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report
3/1/24
The 2009-2019 Wetlands Status and Trends national report is the 6th in a series of congressionally mandated reports spanning nearly 70 years. It provides scientific estimates of wetland area in the conterminous United States as well as change in area between 2009 and 2019. The report also discusses drivers of wetland change and recommendations to reduce future wetland loss. To achieve no net loss of all wetlands, including vegetated wetlands, the report concludes that a strategic update is needed to America’s approach to wetland conservation.
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SOS-Save Our Saltmarsh!
3/1/24
In this episode of the Sapelo NERRds podcast, SASMI Coalition Member and Implementation Team Lead Courtney Reich of Georgia Conservancy explains how SASMI partners are working to save coastal resources.
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