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Sea level rise doesn’t necessarily spell doom for coastal wetlands

Giving marshes room to expand inland can help preserve these crucial ecosystems

mangrove forests in Inodnesia

TOUGH TERRAIN Coastal wetlands, such as the mangrove forests of Indonesia’s Kuching National Park, may be more resilient to rising seas than previously thought.

Attila Jandi/Shutterstock

By Carolyn Gramling

- More than 2 years ago

Rising sea levels don’t have to spell doom for the world’s coastal wetlands. A new study suggests salt marshes and other wetlands could accumulate soil quickly enough to avoid becoming fully submerged — if humans are willing to give them a little elbow room.