Proponents of the Herring River tidal restoration assert that the project will improve and expand animal habitat. Careful reading of How Will Wildlife Respond to the Herring River Restoration? reveals that the narrative limits its claim to animals whose natural habitat is salt marshes:
- "The Herring River Restoration Project will significantly improve habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Restoration of up to 890 acres of inter-tidal marsh will expand habitat for species that thrive in salt and brackish marsh environments."
So the project will create winners and losers. The restored saltmarsh will provide expanded habitat for the winners – animals that inhabit saltwater marshes. In contrast, the animals currently inhabiting the Herring River's freshwater wetlands will be big-time losers.
The project's tidal restoration will transform the existing freshwater wetlands into a salt marsh. So, as claimed, this transition will increase available habitat for animals that dwell in saltwater marshes. Unstated is the downside … that the myriad freshwater dwellers currently living there will be displaced or perish when the project destroys their freshwater habitats. (See Relocate fast or die.)Return to Herring Count
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