Coastal wetlands filter our water, protect our coastal communities from floods, and provide habitat for fish and other wildlife—but they’re quickly disappearing. NOAA works with our partners to protect and restore these valuable habitats. Wetlands—including marshes, mangroves, swamps, deltas, and floodplains—provide valuable benefits to people, species, and communities. 

Coastal Wetland Highlights

Interview with a Habitat: Wetland

Pull-on your waterproof boots and hop in an airboat to join NOAA as we wade into Louisiana’s coastal wetlands for an interview. Learn more about Louisiana’s coastal wetlands

Coastal Wetlands in Louisiana.

Coastal Wetlands: Too Valuable to Lose

More than just a pretty view, wetlands are a pivotal part of the natural system, providing tremendous benefits for coastal communities. Coastal wetlands include all wetlands in coastal watersheds—the entire area from which tidal streams drain to the ocean or inland seas. Learn more about the importance of coastal wetlands

A wetland is an area of land that is saturated with water, characterized by plants that can tolerate wet soils​ and low oxygen levels at their roots.

Rebuilding More Resilient Salt Marsh at Quonochontaug Pond

Faced with accelerating sea-level rise and more frequent coastal storms, a vulnerable salt marsh gets a boost through a NOAA-funded resiliency project.Learn more about this resiliency project

Using a process known as “thin-layer placement,” a new layer of dredged sediment was placed on top of the marsh at Quonnie Pond to raise its elevation.

Conducting Large-Scale Wetland Restoration in Louisiana

Louisiana ranks second only to Alaska in total pounds of commercial fish and shellfish landed each year. Wetlands are nurseries for these rich fisheries. Louisiana’s coastal habitat is also the state’s first line of defense during storms, reducing the devastating effects of wind, waves, and flooding. Learn more about the importance of wetland restoration in Louisiana

Aerial image of coastal wetland habitat in Louisiana. 

Living Shorelines

Coastal communities face constant challenges from shoreline erosion. New stabilization options, like living shorelines, are gaining attention as an alternative to traditional shoreline stabilization techniques. Learn more about living shorelines

A living shoreline, composed of marsh and oyster reef, protects a developed island in Beaufort, North Carolina.

Construction Completed on Oregon Working Landscape Project Benefiting Farmers and Fish

Unique partnership of federal, state, tribal and local agencies, the agriculture industry, and environmental community worked together on a mutually beneficial habitat restoration project supporting salmon recovery. Learn more about this restoration partnership

Aerial view of construction of new habitat channels at Winter Lake. Credit BCI Contracting, Inc.

What's Wild in Our Wetlands?

Swamps and marshes are two kinds of “wetlands” – areas that look like land but are sometimes so wet that fish live in many of them. In fact, many fish couldn't live without them. Find out what kind of fish might be in your local wetland 

Forested wetlands serve as important nursery habitat for juvenile chinook salmon, among other species.
 

Coastal Wetland Videos

Magnolia Marsh

Check out this video of Magnolia Marsh wetlands restoration. 

Huntington Beach - California Coast

Watch this video to learn how restoration efforts at Huntington Beach are helping to protect California's coastline. 

What is a Wetland?

A wetland is an area of land that is saturated with water. There are many different kinds of wetlands and many ways to categorize them.

Watch this video to learn everything you need to know about wetlands