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Ghosts of the Coast

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Document the formation of ghost forests.

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Citizen ScienceOcean Water MarineEducationEcology & Environmentpinesalt stresswetlandscoastal marine ecologyvirginia coast reservesoilmarsh migrationghosts of the coastgeographydelmarva peninsulachanging landscapestorymapchesapeake baysurvey123delawarecattus islandforestmarylandthe george washington universityglobal warmingestuarysalt waterdead treestree deathdelaware baysaltwatersomerset countytidesea level riseshorelinebleached treessaltstormnew yorktributariesmaritime forestvirginiasawgrassnew jerseyfloodingsouth carolinaeastern shoreland conversionsalt water intrusionstumpsweet gummullica river estuaryregenerationfloodsalt tolerantdisturbancegedan labkilling treeswoodsaltwater marshesgroundwaterhurricanesapsalt tolerant plantsblackwater national refugetree stumpphragmiteswildfiresrising seasswampsaltwater marshdroughtgeologydying treescordgrassseawaterclimate changeeast coastgeorgiafloridadying forestprime hook national wildlife refugeecologyblue crabkeryn gedancedarsalinecoastal ecologyspartina patenscoastal educationblack needle rushriverbankmid atlanticcoastallow elevationchanging shorelinetidal inundationmarshnorth carolinamarineghost forest
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The formation of ghost forests in response to sea level rise, land subsidence, and saltwater intrusion is a striking visual indicator of climate change. Ghost forests are characterized by lingering stands of dead trees that were recently killed by salt stress. Ghost forests can form in any type of forest, but the formation of ghost forests in the maritime forests of the Mid-Atlantic sea level rise hotspot has been rapid and conspicuous.

We are engaging citizen scientists to help document the formation of ghost forests at a larger scale. The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness about the pace of change in coastal landscapes, while also collecting data that can inform ghost forest research.

Help us document ghost forest formation! Your recorded observations will populate a public collaborative ghost forest map as part of a larger ghost forest website.

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Ticket Required: No

Minimum Age: 13

Languages: English

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