Date

Friday, September 25, 2026, 2:00–2:30 pm ET / 11:00–11:30 am PT

Speaker

Joel Carr, Research Ecologist, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Webinar Summary

The Chesapeake Bay, located on the mid‑Atlantic coast of North America, is experiencing high rates of sea‑level rise relative to global averages. As a result, low‑lying coastal marshes have undergone substantial losses while simultaneously expanding into adjacent low‑slope uplands. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (BNWR), managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, provides critical habitat for endangered species and migratory birds. BNWR has a documented history of marsh migration, gaining approximately 3,000 acres of marsh since 1938 due to relative sea‑level rise, alongside an estimated loss of 5,000 acres over the same period.

In recent years, large scale field manipulations (such as forest removal and thin layer sediment addition) have been undertaken in the region to 1) improve habitat resilience and 2) understand processes controlling vertical and lateral resilience of marshes. This presentation shares some of the lessons learned and insights gained from these management actions.

Series Info 
Friday’s Findings is a twice‑monthly public webinar series hosted by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area.