During a recent paddle through the marsh, I was reminded about the importance of vegetative buffers. These buffers, such as coastal marshes or planted strips along estuaries, serve several critical ecological, environmental, and economic functions.
1. Erosion Control – Vegetative buffers help stabilize shorelines by reducing the impact of wave action and tidal flow. The roots of plants bind the soil and sediment, acting as a natural net, preventing it from washing away. Without vegetation saltwater can rapidly erode the shoreline, especially during storms or high tides.
2. Water Quality Protection – These buffers filter runoff from land before it enters the saltwater body. This natural filtration reduces algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and habitat degradation in marine ecosystems.
3. Habitat for Wildlife – Vegetative buffers—especially salt marshes—support biodiversity by providing nursery grounds for fish, crabs, and shrimp; nesting and feeding sites for birds; habitat for amphibians and invertebrates. They’re essential for the life cycles of many coastal and marine species.
4. Storm Surge and Flood Protection – Vegetated areas act as natural barriers that absorb and slow down floodwaters during hurricanes, storm surges, and high tides. This protects inland areas from damage and reduces the economic costs of flooding.
Listed below are some local vegetation that can be planted along a buffer area between a lawn and the marsh. Our beautiful marshes are mainly spartina alterniflora grass.
Low Marsh Herbaceous
| Juncus roemerianus | Black needlerush |
| Peltandra virginica | Arrow arum |
| Pontedaria cordata | Pickerelweed |
| Spartina alterniflora | Saltmarsh cordgrass |
| Spartina cynosuroides | Big cordgrass |
| Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) pungens | Three-square |
| Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) robustus | Saltmarsh bulrush |
| Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) validus | Giant bulrush |
High Marsh Shrubs
| Baccharis halimifolia | Groundsel bush |
| Iva frutescens | Marsh elder |
| Morella (Myrica) cerifera | Wax myrtle |
| Morella (Myrica) pensylvanica | Northern bayberry |
The Center for Coastal Resources Management has more information on planting. https://ccrm.vims.edu/livingshorelines/ls_wetland_plants_zone.html