Reclamation

Uplands Riparian Zone -- green lines indicate patterns of spring run off the create a seasonal flow of fresh water into the new estuary Sixteen months after April 15, 1997 restoration Lines of Dialog with Nature between restored uplands and unrestored granite quarry detritus and others
Line of Demarcation -- Sea smoke, and snow shaping the restored marsh. Sea Smoke on the Marsh -- Marsh, sea smoke, and snow Line of Demarcation Between Restored and Unrestored Uplands with New Spring Growth Emerging
Blank Marsh at Night Blank
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Reclamation

 
2.  This is a view of the restored or created marsh. Without core sampling, we cannot determine which term is most appropriate. On the left side, a clear line of demarcation shows where the restoration process ended and where the granite fill that destroyed the original marsh is left untouched. By comparing the two sides of that line of demarcation, we can observe relative change over time and rates of colonization.
    The original site was destroyed 100 years ago by fill that established a deep water wharf. The wharf was used to make a railroad terminal. The terminal carried quarried granite from local stripmining to waiting schooners that took it to Eastern cities.
    In April 1997, 16 truck loads of that fill were excavated and the site was reformed. Estuarine mud from the site was spread on the remaining slopes and they were planted. Coir rolls and nets were then set in place to hold the soil and revegetation. No known photos exist of the site before it was destroyed. Besides the impact of storms and high winds, much of the site contains residual coal dust that makes it hard to re-establish a healthy habitat.

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