Salisbury Beach, MA: The Great Marsh is My Backyard

When I moved to Salisbury Beach, MA in 2003, I knew I would love living on the beach as I have always loved the ocean. Watching the sunrise over the water is an experience that I hope everyone can have at least once in their lives. Sitting on a dune, inhaling deeply of the fresh salt air, and listening to the waves and gulls is one of the best ways to de-stress that I have found.

What I didn't realize was how incredible it would be to live on The Great Marsh. Since our property abuts the marsh, we have what amounts to thousands of acres of backyard. While I sit on my back deck having coffee, I am treated to spectacular views across the wetlands. Sunset is absolutely incredible, with the pinks and reds painted across the sky meeting with the greens and oranges of the marsh grasses.

The Great Marsh is the largest salt marsh in New England and one of the most important ecosystems in the northeastern US. The marsh stretches from Salisbury to Gloucester on the Massachusetts north shore and covers 25,000 acres. The variety of environments contained in The Great Marsh include barrier beach, mudflats and five river estuaries along with the marsh.

The Great Marsh is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and is internationally recognized for it's contribution to the preservation of many breeding and migratory birds. Birding societies have named it one of the top ten birding areas in the US because of the more than 300 species that can be found there. Several endangered bird species have significant breeding populations in the marsh including piping plovers, peregrine falcons, northern harriers, and some species of terns.

Coastal wetlands are transition zones between the land and the ocean. This combination of water and land creates unique characteristics that are not duplicated in other environments. Many species need the salt marshes to survive besides birds. 95% of commercially harvested fish and shellfish species depend on wetlands for at least a part of their life cycles. Besides just the wildlife habitats provided, coastal wetlands also serve to preserve water quality, filter pollutants, and prevent storm damage.

The Great Marsh is threatened in several ways, including storm activity and extreme high tides, however the biggest threat is human activity. Continued development of land adjacent to the marsh must be carefully planned to limit it's impact on the environment. Recreational activities like boating and jet skiing cause erosion of the salt marsh banks and pose a threat to the integrity of the marsh. Pollutants from deteriorating septic systems as well as pet and livestock waste cause high bacteria levels that threaten the plant and wildlife.

Whether you live on The Great Marsh or are just visiting, you need to ensure that your impact on the environment is minimized. We have already lost too many acres of ecologically important wetlands and we have a duty to preserve what is left. The future of many species, both plant and animal, depends on how well we take care of The Great Marsh and our other wetland environments.