What is a maritime forest?
Maritime forests are shoreline estuaries along coastal barrier islands that are relatively pristine and support a great diversity of plants and animals. Maritime forests remain largely untouched by commercial development and closely resemble the woodlands where Native Americans inhabited and early settlers settled hundreds of years ago. Trees, bushes, and other plants in maritime forests and estuaries withstand strong winds, periodic flooding, and salt spray. Many species of mammals and reptiles make the forests their home and thousands of birds migrate to maritime forests each year.