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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 & Environmentphragmitesgeorgiablackwater national refugecoastal marine ecologyshorelinetree deathwildfiresfloodwetlandsmarinestorymapdying forestghost forestsalt stressseawaterkilling treesecologysurvey123changing landscapesea level risedisturbancerising seasmarshsomerset countycordgrassbleached treesland conversiongroundwaterregenerationsouth carolinaeastern shoreeast coastdroughtsweet gumcoastal ecologyhurricanesapgeographydead treesvirginiadelawaresalt water intrusiondelmarva peninsulamid atlanticforestestuarysalt waterdying treesgedan labghosts of the coastblue crabsalinechanging shorelinelow elevationtributariessalt tolerant plantsgeologytidetidal inundationblack needle rushsaltwatersalt tolerantchesapeake baynew jerseypinefloodingdelaware bayglobal warmingmarsh migrationmullica river estuaryvirginia coast reservenew yorksoilcoastal educationswampprime hook national wildlife refugeclimate changenorth carolinathe george washington universitycattus islandtree stumpriverbanksaltstumpmaritime forestmarylandstormcedarsaltwater marshesspartina patenskeryn gedancoastalsawgrasssaltwater marshfloridawood
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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

Provided to SNM by
SciStarter