Scarborough Marsh

Scarborough Marsh is Maine’s largest remaining tidal saltmarsh. It is an expanse of over 3,100 acres of mud, water, and unique plants that evolved to survive in a salty, intertidal environment. Thanks to the high diversity of species that rely on the marsh – many of which are rare and vulnerable to extinction – the Scarborough Marsh is designated as a Maine Focus Area of Statewide Ecological Significance.

Prior to merging with the Scarborough Land Trust (SLT) in 2024, the Friends of Scarborough Marsh championed conservation of the Marsh for decades. Now, SLT leads an interdisciplinary team of over 20 organizations in protecting this natural resource, monitoring its ecological health, and increasing its resiliency to anthropogenic threats like sea level rise and invasive species. To do this, we work closely with the landowners, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Part of our mission as stewards of Scarborough Marsh is also to increase how accessible the Marsh is, particularly to underserved groups, and to advance the public’s understanding of the ecological, cultural, and economic values of the Scarborough Marsh.

All you have to do is paddle or walk out onto the marsh to understand why the Wabanaki (specifically the Sokokis band of the Abenaki) knew Scarborough Marsh as Owascoag, a place of much grass. The grasses, which are primarily smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) and saltmeadow cordgrass (Spartina patens), play an enormous role in supporting life on the marsh.

The Scarborough Marsh represents 15% of all of Maine’s remaining saltmarsh habitat. Like all salt marshes, it stores significant amounts of carbon, filters pollution from the water and provides critical habitat for many birds, fish, mammals, and shellfish.

Scarborough Marsh Science & Restoration News

Our Marsh Program is rapidly developing and this page is updated on an ongoing basis. We encourage you to check back for more information about our NOAA-funded restoration project and additional marsh-centered initiatives.