Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Engagement - Living Shorelines

Objectives

This  project will:

• Reduce the barriers to implementation of living shoreline projects. 
• Increase understanding of the importance and benefits of living shorelines in the shoreline property owner contractor natural resource management government official and public sectors.
• Identify and promote cost-effective living shoreline designs. Increase the prevalence of living shoreline projects.

Methodology

The investigators will use several methods to gather and convey living shoreline-related information to stakeholders. These methods include evaluating the success benefits and cost-effectiveness of existing living shoreline projects; conducting individual property owner scale site assessments and mapping to identify priority locations for living shorelines; providing preliminary design and permitting assistance to property owners interested in living shorelines; developing a framework and seeking funding for a living shoreline cost share/assistance program; and hosting workshops and producing publications for property owners contractors and environmental professionals.

Rationale

The current trend along the coast is to build bulkheads or seawalls to protect waterfront coastal property. For example over 60 of private shorelines along Biloxi are currently hardened with similar trends in Alabama. While hard structures may slow erosion they also result in the loss of intertidal habitat and increase downstream shoreline erosion. Shoreline armoring increases as population growth increases; therefore more sustainable erosion control structures need to be installed to reduce habitat loss due to escalated coastal development pressure. A more environmentally sustainable way to slow or stop erosion is through the construction of “living shorelines.” “Living shorelines” are a collection of shoreline construction techniques that provide erosion control and water quality benefits; protects restore or enhance natural shoreline habitat; and maintain coastal processes through the strategic placement of plants stone sand fill and other structural and organic materials. There is a need to inform contractors coastal property owners natural resource managers and government officials about the benefits of living shorelines and directly conduct or provide training for related planning design and implementation activities.