Photo credits (top) ;Andy Drumm; (bottom) Mark Godfrey

Climate Adaptation on the Albemarle-Pamlico PeninsulaChristine Pickens, Chuck Peoples, & Aaron McCallClimate, Risk & Resilience Learning ExchangeMay 29, 2013 New Orleans, Louisiana

Photo credits: (top) John Warner; (bottom) Kelly Coleman, John Warner

Where We Work

Slide Text

Albemarle-Pamlico

Peninsula

Albemarle Sound

Pamlico Sound

Atlantic Ocean

Wetland Mosaic Landscape

PocosinSwamp forestPine flatHardwood flatRiverine swamp forestEstuarine shrub/scrubFresh marshBrackish marsh

Thick Peat Deposits

Peat Depth (ft)

PocosinSwamp forestPine flatHardwood flatRiverine swamp forestEstuarine shrub/scrubFresh marshBrackish marsh

0 7 14

Challenges

Sea-level Rise 1 – 2 ft average elevation Habitat conversion Shoreline erosion

Ditched Landscape > 280 miles of ditches

From timber harvesting and agriculture

Soil oxidation Salt water intrusion points

Catastrophic Wildfires Flammable organic soils 2011 Fire: 5.5 million tons C lost

Coastal Adaptation Approaches

1. Restore Hydrology (water patterns)

a) Water control structures → prevent salt water intrusion

b) Ditch plugs → keep ground water levels higher, better oyster growing conditions

2. Construct Oyster Reefsa) Marl and shell bag reefs → reduce

shoreline erosion, provide habitat for fish

3. Vegetative Plantingsa) Flood- and salt-tolerant species →

establish native tree species, eventually adds to peat layer, provides habitat

Water Control Structure

Water Control Structure

UpstreamStructure

StructureStructure

Water Control Structure Effectiveness

Structure Installed

Pains Bay Fire & Hurricane Irene

Sound Salinity

Oyster Reefs

Oyster Reefs and Shoreline Erosion

No Reef: 4.2 m/yrEstablished Reef: 1.7 m/yr

Oyster Reefs and Aquatic Faunal Habitat

Oyster Density Marl: 144 oysters/m2

Shell Bag: 840 oysters/m2

Higher species richness along reefs vs. open water

Vegetative Plantings

Planting design40 acres11,500 bald cypress 2,000 black gum 6,750 pond pine

Planted March 2010 >90% transplant survival Hurricane Irene 2011

2+ m storm surge

Conclusions and Moving Forward

Success with using a mixture of approaches Natural defenses (oyster reefs) Infrastructure (water control

structures)

Success with willing partners on conservation lands

Improve vegetative planting approach

Evaluate economic benefit of adaptation approaches

Acknowledgments

TNC– Chuck Peoples– Aaron McCall– Kate Murray– Brian Boutin– Becca Benner– Mike Horak– Katherine Skinner

US Fish & Wildlife Service– Mike Bryant– Scott Lanier– Dennis Stewart– Brian van Druten

Volunteers– Kelly & Coleman Davis– Shell bag volunteers

Funding Kindly Provided By:– Duke Energy– TNC-NOAA Community-based Restoration

Program– SARP-NOAA Community-based Restoration

Program– FAF-NOAA Community-based Restoration

Program– Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program– Wildlife Conservation Society Wildlife Action

Opportunities Fund– Grady-White Boats– Private donations