Salt marshes are located up and down the Atlantic coast, with South Carolina possessing the most acreage of marsh with more than 500,000 acres. Marshes provide a fertile breeding ground for many species and also remove toxins and sediments from the water as well as buffering the coast from storm surges. Spartina is the cord grass that dominates low marsh areas. Recognized by it’s thick, tough stalks, Spatina is specially suited to withstand heat and saltwater. The soft mud, or “pluff mud” prevents animals from grazing on the spartina stalks.