Why Herring River Restoration? An Ecological Perspective – presented by John Portnoy

Wellfleet’s 1,100-acre Herring River estuary developed over two thousand years under a regime of twice-daily seawater flooding and drainage. Given that history, it’s not surprising that cutting off daily tides 115 years ago, followed by intensive wetland drainage, has seriously disturbed water quality and resident plants and animals.  This talk will first describe how naturally functioning outer Cape estuaries benefit native fish, wildlife and people, and then detail the adverse physical, chemical and biological consequences of mismanagement as we look forward to imminent Herring River tidal restoration.