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Marsh restoration project showing results

A group of Christopher Newport University students returned to Port Haywood last week to check on the progress of a marsh restoration project CNU had begun the year before.

Professor Robert Atkinson of Gloucester accompanied the students who found native salt marsh cordgrass growing tall and dense in areas where phragmites (reed grass) had invaded.

“Both the salt marsh cordgrass and salt meadow hay that were planted last year have already filled in the planting area,” said student Bridget Gerovac. “And we are seeing lots of the usual salt marsh animals in the site. It worked!”

Ken Scribner, now deceased, established a scholarship at CNU that funded students to plant a salt marsh on his property in Mathews last year and to monitor its success for the following two years. Students spent part of their fall break (Oct. 12-13) doing field work in association with Atkinson’s Environmental Conservation class. Gerovac was this year’s Scribner scholarship ...

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