Blue Carbon refers to coastal vegetation such as salt marsh grasses, eelgrass and other seagrass that sequesters or takes in carbon dioxide (CO2). This reduces the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and helps to limit global climate change. These vegetation types also play an important role in supporting marine life.

Blue carbon vegetation sequesters carbon effectively and more permanently than terrestrial forests. Funds for restoration and protection of these vegetation types could be garnered through blue carbon credits, however, more research is needed to help quantify the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere and stored by blue carbon.

Project Watershed, in collaboration with the Estuary Working Group, studied how salt marshes and eelgrass beds in our local estuary capture and store carbon from the atmosphere as part of the Blue Carbon Pilot Project.

Over time our Blue Carbon work turned into the Coastal Restoration component of our projects.