In 2007, Wetlands Watch estimated that Virginia would lose 50-80% of its tidal marshes by 2100 due to sea-level rise.

Eighteen years later, that wetlands loss range remains the same but will happen sooner with Virginia’s accelerated pace of relative sea-level rise.

There is academic sparring about the rate and extent of vegetated tidal wetlands losses but there is universal agreement that if we don’t start putting new policies in place — and spend a lot of money — the high side estimates will prevail. And given the extent of the work facing us, we’re almost out of time to start the work.

Why should anyone other than crabs, muskrats and duck hunters care about disappearing wetlands?

The list of wetlands values is long: most productive landscapes on Earth, base of our aquatic food chain,

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