Restoring New England’s coastal habitat.
Native coastal habitat is disappearing. We can bring it back.
Maritima helps landowners, towns, non-profits and land trusts restore New England’s coastal landscapes with native plants.
New England is losing its coast
Development, hardened shorelines, and sea level rise have narrowed our dunes, coastal forests, marshes and tidal wetlands. The native plants that held them together are at risk.
When we lose our coastal vegetation we lose the roots that keep sand and soil in place, so a shoreline stripped of its plants erodes faster and absorbs less of every storm. The habitat those plants formed exists nowhere else, and the birds, pollinators, and wildlife that depend on it have nowhere to go.
Bringing native plants back to the shore
Across New England, growing interest in native plants is changing how people think about the landscapes around them. We have an opportunity to build on that momentum along the coast by restoring our coastal properties with important and threatened native coastal plants.
Our native shoreline plants can help hold sand and soil in place, reduce erosion, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and preserve the distinctive character of our shoreline.
By bringing more native vegetation back to the places where we live and work, we can create a coast that is richer in habitat and better prepared for a changing climate.
Let’s bring coastal habitat back, together
Restoring New England’s coast will require all of us to work together. But knowing where to begin, which plants will provide the greatest benefits, and how to establish them successfully is not always easy.
That is where Maritima comes in. We use our experience in native plants and conservation to design restoration projects, remove non-native vegetation, source and install plants, and care for habitats as they become established.
We also help people understand how coastal native plants benefit both communities and wildlife, from creating more resilient shorelines to bringing back useful and beloved species such as beach plum.
A coastline restored parcel by parcel
New England’s coastline is made up of many different properties, from private yards and community spaces to town beaches and conservation lands. Restoring it requires cooperation across those boundaries.
Maritima works with private landowners, towns, land trusts, nonprofits, and businesses to create healthier coastal habitats. Whether the project involves a single property or a larger landscape, we help turn shared restoration goals into practical action.
Have a shoreline in mind?
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