Home  >  Ghosts of the Coast

Ghosts of the Coast

Free Indoors and outdoors

Document the formation of ghost forests.

In a specific area

see on map
  • Ongoing
Citizen ScienceOcean Water MarineEducationEcology & Environmentvirginia coast reservenew yorkeastern shorefloodsawgrassgedan labtideblack needle rushcedarclimate changekeryn gedansaltmarylandmarshhurricanesaptree stumpprime hook national wildlife refugeecologytree deathseawaterchesapeake baysalt water intrusionnew jerseydelaware baytidal inundationnorth carolinaswampshorelinechanging shorelinesalt watergeographykilling treesphragmitesmarsh migrationeast coastcoastal ecologycordgrasscoastal marine ecologydelmarva peninsulableached treescoastalsalt tolerantstorymapsaltwater marshsalt stressspartina patensvirginiafloodinglow elevationghosts of the coastregenerationdying treesrising seasfloridasurvey123coastal educationmaritime foreststormthe george washington universitysouth carolinawoodpinemullica river estuarysalt tolerant plantsdroughtforestwetlandsblackwater national refugedying forestsoilwildfiressalinegeorgiastumpdisturbanceblue crabgeologysea level risemid atlanticsweet gumgroundwatertributariessomerset countysaltwater marshesmarinedelawarecattus islandriverbanksaltwaterchanging landscapeghost forestland conversionglobal warmingdead treesestuary
Save
for Later
Like
Share
Visit
Website
I Did
This

More Information

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.

read more

Ticket Required: No

Minimum Age: 13

Languages: English

Provided to SNM by
SciStarter