Defining Engineering Guidance for Living Shoreline Projects

The concept of "living shorelines" involves the use of native vegetation and low-lying structures to provide shoreline stabilization, while attempting to mimic the natural landscape. Living shorelines are frequently a desirable alternative to hard engineering structures, such as bulkheads and rock revetments, which have the potential to dramatically change shoreline conditions and can lead to a complete loss of intertidal area, as well as associated habitat, recreational, and aesthetic benefits. The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) technical committee of the Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) has a vested interest in the research of sustainable alternatives for shoreline protection and coastal management. As the concept of living shorelines comes to the forefront in the search for alternative coastal management strategies in our ever-evolving coastal areas, the CZM committee has set out to further develop the fundamentals of living shoreline design based on a comprehensive review of living shoreline case studies.