Estuaries Are Crucial for Oregon’s Coastal Communities and Wildlife

Research and resources on the importance of estuarine habitats and how to protect and restore them

Two people kneeling down in an Oregon estuary
Bobby Hayden

Oregon’s estuaries are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, supporting salmon, crab, and other species important to coastal economies and tribal nations. The diverse habitats—eelgrass meadows, salt marshes, and forested tidal wetlands—that occupy the state’s estuaries improve water quality, reduce flooding, and curb the effects of climate change. But these critical coastal areas have been damaged by more than a century of dredging, development, and pollution, and need urgent restoration and protection if they are to thrive and continue providing the many benefits they offer for communities, marine wildlife, and the coastal environment. 

OUR WORK

Eelgrass
Eelgrass

Eelgrass Is Essential to Ocean Health

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Eelgrass is one of the most important plants in the ocean. It cleans the water, nurtures fish, absorbs climate-warming carbon, produces oxygen, and protects the coastline.