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Long Marsh Restoration
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust is thrilled to be partnering with Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) to implement a multi-year restoration project on Harpswell’s Long Marsh, a 70-acre salt marsh at the head of Doughty Cove. This collaboration is also supported by Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Baxter State Park (the owner of Austin Cary Forest), and the Town of Harpswell. We are currently completing the design and permitting for the project and will begin phase one of the restoration work in the fall and winter of 2026.
What is a salt marsh?
A salt marsh is a coastal wetland ecosystem that regularly floods and drains with the tides. Salt marshes play an important role in creating healthy ecosystems as they are extremely effective at storing carbon and reducing the impact of flooding and storm surges. They also support a rich biodiversity of salt marsh grasses and serve as breeding and feeding grounds for various waterfowl, shorebirds, fish, and invertebrates.
Long Marsh project area
Why does Long Marsh need to be restored?
Salt marshes along the Maine coast, including Long Marsh, have been degraded by historic agricultural practices such as ditching and embankments. This led to large areas of standing water and vegetation die-off, which harms the salt marsh’s ability to support wildlife, buffer storm surges, and adapt to sea level rise. Restoration involves re-establishing more natural tidal flow onto the marsh to promote healthy plant communities and wildlife habitat. By improving drainage patterns and reconnecting tidal channels, the work aims to reduce persistent pooling, support vegetation recovery, and increase the marsh’s resilience to sea level rise. This is especially important at Long Marsh as it’s the largest tidal marsh in Harpswell, making it an important area for facilitating marsh migration.
Example salt marsh that shows later stages of marsh degradation, with large swaths of standing water and vegetation die off.
To learn more:
- Check out the article and embedded videos on MCHT’s Marsh Restoration Overview page. The videos take place in other marshes around the state, but the principles and restoration techniques are the same for the Long Marsh project.
- Attend the upcoming event “Coastal Resiliency in Casco Bay: Long Marsh Restoration” on Wednesday, April 22 from 6-7 PM to hear from MCHT’s Marsh Restoration Program Manager Tatia Bauer.
- Attend a guided marsh walk on Saturday, June 13 (details TBA).
Any questions? Reach out to Emma Balazs, HHLT’s Lands & Stewardship Director at 207-721-1121 or by email.
