Management Techniques
Saltmarsh Sparrow photo by Ray Hennessey
The highest-priority management practices for Salt Marsh birds include:
Runneling of Drowning Marshes – Creation of a shallow channel used to remove impounded water from the marsh surface.
Restoring Ditched Marshes – The modification of ditch structure within a marsh to improve marsh hydrology and sediment retention.
Sediment placement on the marsh platform – The application of dredged or upland sediments to the marsh surface for the purpose of increasing marsh elevation. “Thin layer deposition” (TLD) refers to deposition of up to 6-8 inches of sediments and through which the underlying marsh vegetation can grow.
Increasing Microtopography – Create patches of increased elevation to provide areas on the marsh platform that may offer nesting habitat that is less prone to flooding.