Ecosystem enhancement

Riparian wetlands border vital nursery areas and filter pollutants from overland runoff, while protecting shorelines and producing detritus for export to other habitats

Fish use of wetland habitat

Young blue crabs, shrimp, and southern flounder are among the many commercial fisheries species inhabiting the edges of tidal salt marsh.
Adult seatrout, red drum, and flounder prowl the edge of marshes feeding on shrimp, killifish, and other prey hiding among the vegetation.
River herring spawn along the swampy borders of coastal rivers and creeks.
Blue crabs use wetlands as a relatively safe corridor for traveling between other habitats.

Some important facts

Riparian wetlands comprise about 7% (1,348,000 ac.) of North Carolina’s coastal watersheds. (See habitat mapping and monitoring)
Since precolonial times, North Carolina has lost nearly half of its wetlands
Wetlands play a vital role in recycling organic waste from both the water and the land

How’s it doing?

The great majority of wetland losses occurred before current rules were in place. Ditching and draining for logging and agriculture accounted for a large portion of early losses. Current losses are mostly from upland development and road construction, although water-dependent development (bulkheads, marinas) also impact wetlands. These losses can be individually small, but cumulatively large. See Threats to Habitat Index for more information

See Wetlands chapter of CHPP (PDF)



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