San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science

This two-part special issue reviews the basic ecology of tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Estuary. Several articles highlight the well-preserved tracts of historic tidal marsh found at China Camp State Park and Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve. These two protected areas serve as important reference sites for wetland restoration and conservation and also comprise San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (SF Bay NERR). SF Bay NERR is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s nationwide network of 28 estuarine research reserves (http://www.nerrs.noaa.gov) that all share common goals: (1) conducting standardized long-term monitoring, (2) supporting applied environmental research, (3) providing stewardship of estuarine natural resources, and (4) linking science with decision making in pursuit of effective solutions to coastal management problems.