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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 & Environmentlow elevationland conversionblackwater national refugevirginia coast reservesaltwater marshfloodingmarylandsomerset countygeographysea level risemarsh migrationtributariessurvey123delmarva peninsuladisturbancetidedying treessouth carolinablack needle rushseawaternew jerseyecologydead treesdelaware bayfloridadying forestgedan labnew yorkchanging landscapetree stumpgroundwaterkeryn gedanblue crabeastern shoreswampshorelinehurricanekilling treessalinesalt tolerantrising seaswetlandsnorth carolinatree deathcedarsapcoastal ecologycoastal educationcoastalstumpgeorgiasaltwatercattus islandwildfiresglobal warminggeologymaritime forestsaltwater marshessalt stressclimate changebleached treescoastal marine ecologyeast coastsawgrassforestghosts of the coastmarineghost forestdroughtsoilriverbankprime hook national wildlife refugedelawarewoodchesapeake baysalt waterstormsalt tolerant plantssweet gumregenerationstorymapvirginiaphragmitesspartina patenssalt water intrusionmid atlanticfloodsaltmullica river estuarymarshthe george washington universitychanging shorelinecordgrasstidal inundationestuarypine
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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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