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County map of Florida, with Big Bend Wetlands study area highlighted in green.
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About this project
This project is investigating the loss of coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands in order to
determine long-term change in wetlands and to provide a model for determining areas that are most
vulnerable to loss because of combinations of human and natural impacts.
Critical wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico and southeastern U.S. coast will be investigated cooperatively
with the USGS Biological Resources Division, NOAA, the U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Service, and
state agencies.
The investigation is determining change over historical time in these regions,
identifying the significance of change over the past 20 years when detailed satellite imagery
is available, and matching these changes to known factors such as sea level change, sedimentation,
and human impacts. A landscape evolution model will be applied to evaluate existing studies and
understanding of critical processes for assessing change and vulnerability of coastal environments
with development and projected rises in sea level. |