Characteristic Plants Brackish Tidal Marsh These plants are frequently found in this community type. Those with an asterisk are State Rank S3 Similar Types often diagnostic of this community. Freshwater Tidal Marshes are most similar Sapling/shrub Community Description and can grade into this type as one moves Poison-ivy* downriver; they usually feature wild rice Brackish tidal marshes contain both Sweetgale* and/or softstem bulrush as dominants, freshwater and brackish water species, Herb and contain species such as pickerelweed often in bands corresponding to tidal Chaffy sedge* and common arrowhead that do not exposure. Tall rushes and bulrushes often Chair-maker’s rush* tolerate brackish water. Some marshes are predominate over extensive mid-elevation Brackish Tidal Marsh Common arrow-grass intermediate in character between the two flats. At the lower elevations, rosette- Freshwater cordgrass* types. Mixed Graminoid-Forb Saltmarshes conservation attention. Many occur on forming herbs, such as lilaeopsis and Narrow-leaved cattail and Spartina Saltmarshes develop a peat or adjacent to public lands or private tidal arrowhead, may be common on the Northern blue flag substrate and are dominated by obligate conservation lands. With development mudflats. Near the high tide line, there Smooth cordgrass saltwater species such as saltmarsh of the uplands that border these marshes, may be a fairly narrow zone of muddy Softstem bulrush cordgrasses, sea lavender, black-grass, or maintenance of appropriate wetland gravel or rock shore sparsely vegetated Wire rush* alkali bulrush. buffers can help reduce degradation that with low herbs, including some rare Brackish Tidal Marsh could result from adjacent land uses. The species such as Long’s bitter-cress or water- Associated Rare Plants Conservation, Wildlife, and prospect of sea level rise may also put these pimpernel. Sweetgale and poison ivy are systems at greater risk. Lilaeopsis often present at the upper fringes of the Management Considerations Parker’s pipewort Tidal marshes provide valuable wildlife marsh, at or above the tidal reach. Brackish marshes provide important nesting Pygmyweed habitat and have received considerable habitat for Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow, Stiff arrowhead Soil and Site Characteristics seaside sparrow, and the rare saltmarsh Water-pimpernel These marshes occupy intertidal reaches Location Map sharp-tailed sparrow. These wetlands also in larger tidal estuaries where freshwater provide foraging habitat for a large number Associated Rare Animals and saltwater mix. Salinity ranges from of wading birds. The New England siltsnail American oystercatcher 2-18 ppt, with gradients reflected in the inhabits coastal marshes and small tidal Black-crowned night-heron species composition of particular sites. rivers where the water ranges from fresh Least bittern The substrate is usually mud rather than to upper brackish. The spartina borer Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow peat. moth, whose historic range was along the Short-eared owl immediate coast throughout New England, Diagnostics likely inhabited tidal marshes with sizeable These marshes occur in a brackish tidal populations of freshwater cordgrass, its Examples on Conservation setting. The vegetation is a mix of tall larval host plant. Lands You Can Visit graminoids and rosette-forming forbs. • Acadia National Park – Hancock Co. Freshwater cordgrass, common arrow- Distribution • Hall Bay, Flying Point Preserve grass, or wire-rush are present; obligate Coastwide, extending in both directions – Sagadahoc Co. freshwater from Maine (Laurentian Mixed Forest and • Mendall Wildlife Management Area species, Eastern Broadleaf Forest Provinces). – Waldo Co. such as • Morse Mountain Preserve – Sagadahoc pickerelweed Landscape Pattern: Large Patch Co. and common • Rachel Carson National Wildlife arrowhead, are Refuge – York Co. absent. • Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area – Cumberland Co. Northern Blue Flag Maine Natural Areas Program