SOPs are being developed by the MassMarsh program to standardize the collection of monitoring data, which will allow results to be combined from salt marsh restoration/adaptation projects across all regions of the Massachusetts coast, offering researchers and managers a more comprehensive understanding of management technique efficacy. Over the years, SOPs have been developed for salt marshes by a number of organizations and for a variety of objectives. However, MassMarsh SOPs were developed to meet a specific objective: to define a baseline of effort that is sufficient for acquiring meaningful data yet practical to implement. With their development in conjunction with Massachusetts DEP, these SOPs are meant to support the monitoring requirements of state permits needed for restoration/adaptation projects.
Current SOPs
SOP Trainings
These training sessions are designed to assist participants’ in developing and implementing salt marsh monitoring strategies based on the MassMarsh developed SOPs. These trainings will consist of an online workshop, open to anyone interested in learning more about to the MassMarsh SOPs, planning monitoring sites, design transects, and determining spatial coverage.
VIEW ONLINE TRAINING RECORDING
We are also offering in-field training in the North and South shore of MA to demonstrate instrumentation use, transect set up, and data recording into the MassMarsh data app. All are welcome to these trainings but will prioritize practitioners working in MA, and will be subject to a registration cap.
By the end of the trainings, participants will be able to design a defensible monitoring plan including strategically placed vegetation, and elevation transects, and water level monitoring methods using the MassMarsh SOPs. Participants will also gain familiarity with the data app functionality to support data collection and restoration site assessment, which will be available to practitioners across the region.