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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 & Environmentdroughtstormthe george washington universitysalt tolerantclimate changeblue crabsoilglobal warmingsalt watersalt stressmarinesomerset countykilling treesmid atlanticrising seasriverbankfloodingstumpdying forestmarshfloridacedarstorymapcattus islandblackwater national refugecordgrassgeographysalt water intrusioncoastal marine ecologygroundwatermarsh migrationdead treeschesapeake baykeryn gedansurvey123ecologyvirginia coast reservemarylanddisturbancecoastal ecologyregenerationgeorgiawildfiresghost forestshorelinesweet gumgedan labwetlandsspartina patenssawgrassnew yorktributariesnew jerseyprime hook national wildlife refugetree stumpgeologyvirginiaeast coastforestdying treesphragmitessalinehurricaneflooddelmarva peninsuladelaware baynorth carolinasouth carolinatidal inundationsaltwaterlow elevationestuarysapghosts of the coastbleached treessaltwater marshsaltchanging shorelinecoastal educationwoodcoastalpinesalt tolerant plantsswampmullica river estuarydelawareland conversionchanging landscapetree deathsea level risemaritime foresttideblack needle rushsaltwater marshesseawatereastern shore
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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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Minimum Age: 13

Languages: English

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