In 2019 the federation installed 2,379 feet of living shorelines at 16 different sound-side properties. Read more here.
For decades, the typical response to control erosion on North Carolina’s estuarine shorelines has been to build bulkheads or place stone riprap along problem areas. This shoreline hardening and loss of vegetated buffers degrade fish and shellfish habitats and reduce areas that absorb stormwater runoff. The consequences of shoreline hardening become more severe as sea levels rise. Additionally, the spread of an invasive wetland plant species, Phragmites australis (common reed), could disrupt the ecology of our fringing shoreline wetlands as it outcompetes natural marsh vegetation.
Living shorelines, a series of techniques that reduce the impact of waves through the use of more natural approaches such as restoring salt marsh and oysters, offer an effective and environmentally friendly solution to shoreline erosion. However, outdated laws and rules, lack of consumer demand and too few specialized contractors have prevented living shorelines from being widely used. We’re changing that.
Learn how living shorelines outperform bulkheads during storms and cost less to repair.
Click here to read about how living shorelines work and the many benefits of natural shoreline stabilization.
The North Carolina Coastal Federation has developed a working map of sites along the North Carolina coast where living shorelines have been built. This map features descriptions, photos, funding agencies and more. Click on the various sites below and check back for new additions.
Living Shorelines Academy is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is a product of collaboration between Restore America’s Estuaries and the North Carolina Coastal Federation — and their many partners.
