Salt marshes fringe or grow around the edge of much of the pond.
Beds of eelgrass grow abundantly in the quieter sections of the pond. Salt marshes and eelgrass beds provide a perfect place for small fishes and invertebrates to find shelter and food. For many organisms the pond is a place where they live when they are youngsters. For instance, you might not know that the juveniles of many large sportfish like tautog, striped bass, and bluefish live in the relative safety of the salt pond when they're fry and leave for the ocean after they reach juvenile age. For birds like herons and egrets, the salt pond is a place to spend the spring through summer feeding.