Project Description: This project’s purpose was to evaluate the impact of elevation, sediment type, and layer thickness on the success of marsh restoration at Masonboro Island at the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. The reserve established 40-50 treatment plots in both high and low marshes testing two different sediment thicknesses, 7 cm and 14 cm. Sediment was composed of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay with a small addition of local mud. Some treatment plots incorporated dredged sediment to examine the effects of sediment type on marsh responses to TLP. The dredged sediment was composed of fine sand and mud. Results indicated that a 14 cm sediment thickness is optimal for the restoration of marshes not only for its higher height, but also for vegetation growth.
