The Imperative to Restore
Dyke Marsh
By Glenda C. Booth
January 19, 2007
The
Value of Dyke Marsh
Dyke Marsh is one of the last large freshwater tidal
marshes along the Potomac River in the Washington, D.C., area, a shoreline once
lined by a dynamic system of wetlands. The marsh is home to 300 known species
of plants, 6,000 arthropods, 38 fish, 16 reptiles, 14 amphibians and over 230
birds.
Like all wetlands, it provides important ecological
services: flood control, water quality enhancement, resident and migratory
wildlife habitat, spawning and nursery grounds for anadromous fish, attenuation
of tidal energy, shoreline stabilization, carbon storage, aesthetic enjoyment
and recreational activities.
The U. S. Congress designated Dyke Marsh in 1959 as part of
the National Park System “so that fish and wildlife development and their
preservation as wetland wildlife habitat shall be paramount.”
A History of Abuse
Dyke Marsh has suffered the impacts of much human
activity. Approximately 270 acres of the 485 total have been dredged. It has
been battered by construction debris dumped, dikes built, 78 invasive plants
choking out natives, polluted runoff, contaminated sediment, poorly-planned
nearby development, vehicle noise, lawn and golf course chemicals, upland and
shoreline erosion, and river traffic. Forty-two square miles of Northern
Virginia drain into the marsh, now half its former size.
On to Restoration
National Park Service officials have concluded that
restoring Dyke Marsh is feasible and desirable. As the first step toward
restoration, NPS is preparing an
environmental impact statement. The Friends of Dyke
Marsh have made restoring Dyke Marsh a top priority, for these reasons:
 |
At 5,000 to 7,000 years old, it is a
national treasure: it is one of the most significant temperate, climax,
narrow-leafed cattail, tidal freshwater riverine marshes in the U. S. National
Park System. |
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It provides important ecological
services in an area where most tidal marshes have been destroyed. |
|
The U. S. Congress has recognized the
value of Dyke Marsh as an irreplaceable wetland near the nation’s capital and
as a significant element of the character of the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway. |
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Since the 1780s, Virginia has lost 42
percent of the state’s wetlands. The U. S. has lost over half. |
|
Former President George H. W. Bush
established a policy of no net loss of the nation’s wetlands and President
George W. Bush expanded that mandate to an “overall increase of wetlands in
America each year.” The Commonwealth of Virginia has committed to restoring
wetlands and to restoring the health of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake
Bay. |
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The marsh is rich in natural
resources. It supports the only known nesting population of marsh wrens (Cistothorus
palustris) in the upper Potomac tidal zone, a species once found all along the
marshes of the Potomac River. |
|
Human activity will continue to
degrade the marsh if no action is taken. |
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A restored Dyke Marsh can support more
biodiversity of species, provide more ecological services in a
heavily-developed urban area, and increase aesthetic, educational and
recreational opportunities for the nation. |
