Roots and Rakes is a project in direct response to the outcomes of Experimenting with Elevation, in which we determined that boat wakes may be driving oyster shell accumulation along the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway in the GTMNERR. These oyster shell berms, or rakes, can impact marsh health and nutrient cycling, thereby resulting in increased wetland vulnerability. Using pilot sites along the intracoastal waterway, we hope to explore the impacts of shell rakes on marsh health and nutrient cycling.

Project Goal 1:

Determine the impact of shell rakes on marsh nutrient cycling, plant and soil stress, and elevation.

Project Goal 2:

Integrate new water quality and nutrient data with an existing coastal vulnerability assessment to facilitate site-specific conservation and restoration planning.