About the Project
Working with four West Coast reserves, regional blue carbon working groups, local, state and tribal organizations, and other partners, this project examined some of the oldest tidal marsh restoration projects in California, Oregon, and Washington to learn more about long-term restoration outcomes. The team compared restored marshes (aged 22-62 years) with nearby least-disturbed reference marshes. The team collected data on wetland elevation, vegetation, and soil blue carbon - attributes which form the basis for many of the valued functions and services of tidal wetlands. This large-scale multi-site assessment enabled a unique analysis of restoration outcomes along the US West Coast. Project findings are helping fill important data gaps by providing a long-term regional perspective on “lessons-learned” from past restoration projects.
About this Resource
This restoration brief summarizes project findings about mature tidal wetland restoration projects and offers restoration recommendations for coastal managers, restoration practitioners, and policy makers. The brief addresses key questions about plant community development, carbon sequestration, and resilience to sea-level rise for Pacific coast estuaries, including:
- Do mature restored tidal wetland plant communities resemble those of least-disturbed reference wetlands?
- How resilient are tidal wetland restoration projects to sea-level rise?
- Are restored tidal marshes sequestering as much carbon as least-disturbed sites?
Cornu C, Janousek C, Williams T, Schmitt J, Schroeder J, Kirkland J, Wasson K, Rybczyk J, Poppe K, Crooks J, Schooler S, Ferner M, Siegel S, Brophy L, Comet S. 2025. Tidal Marsh Restoration Brief: Long-term outcomes of tidal marsh restoration efforts on the U.S. West Coast. Corvallis, OR: Institute for Applied Ecology, Oregon State University, Western Washington University, South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.