Salt marshes provide a number of critical ecosystem functions but only thrive in a narrow elevation range. As part of an effort to raise 61 acres of flooded salt marsh habitat, we used an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to monitor the restoration. In early stages UAV imagery allowed us to track construction and weekly environmental changes. Now we continue to collect imagery as part of long-term monitoring for the area. With GIS we use a supervised classifier to quantify vegetation extent, which is necessary to lock in sediment and provide habitat. Additionally, we create digital elevation models (DEMs) to track sediment movement and ensure the marsh remains within the critical elevation range. DEMs also allows us to create various projected flood scenarios. The use of GIS software allows us to understand and quantify ecosystem variations as part of a massive, multi-year restoration effort and gives us valuable insight into a vital ecosystem.
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