A key part of Connecticut’s coastline has gotten a $4 million refresh. Officials unveiled the completion of the restoration project this week.
Funding was announced back in October to restore over 30 acres of Great Meadows Marsh in Stratford. The area was the largest block of undrained salt marsh in the state.
Experts said a healthy salt marsh is vital to the protection of coastal communities from flooding and provides habitat for marine life and shore birds.
Crew members and volunteers planted over 155,000 coastal plants and shrubs, and created a new creek for natural water flow. Grassy mounds were built to serve as elevated habitat for endangered species of birds.
Great Meadows Marsh is part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, which once spanned 1,400 acres, but it’s now half the size due to poor land management, invasive plants and sea level rise.
