Economic and Recreational Value: It’s estimated that 60% of the recreational opportunities and 66% of the commercial fisheries and shellfisheries in New York’s Marine District depend on the resources and ecosystem services provided by tidal wetlands.
Biologic and Ecologic Value: These wetlands protect coastal water quality by acting as a sink for pollutants, provide valuable wildlife habitat, and protect upland and shoreline areas from flooding and erosion.
Alarming changes, including degradation, fragmentation and severe acreage losses have been observed in several Long Island, NY tidal wetland complexes. The primary goal of the Long Island Tidal Wetlands Trends Analysis and Wetland Loss Characterization Matrix project is to assess the quantitative and qualitative changes, including:
The study area for this project included coastal areas of New York State within the Long Island Sound, Peconic, and South Shore estuaries including all or parts of Westchester, Bronx, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties.
For more information, please contact Richard Friesner, Ph.D., division director for water quality programs.