The public is invited to learn about the Assateague Living Shoreline Project by attending a free webinar at 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 21, 2021. The event is hosted by the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee through the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program and the Delaware Coastal Training Program.
This webinar is part of an ongoing virtual series since May 2020 and is offered free of charge. For more information, visit delawarelivingshorelines.org. Registration and information is also available on the DNREC events calendar.
The Assateague Living Shoreline Project was conceived as an opportunity to implement a dynamic living shoreline in a high-energy environment to address erosion, enhance habitat, and provide user-friendly access to the shallow waters of Sinepuxent Bay, an inland waterway that connects to the Atlantic Ocean via the Ocean City Inlet. The project was completed in 2018 and is currently being monitored to access performance. Speakers on the project will include individuals from Maryland Coastal Bays Program, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and Underwood & Associates, Inc.
A living shoreline is a nature-based structure built on the edge of a shoreline using natural materials. Previously, hardened structures such as riprap or sea walls were used to stabilize eroding shorelines, but living shorelines are an innovative and environmentally friendly alternative that uses natural materials and native plants including oyster shells and biodegradable coconut-fiber logs.
Living shorelines work by mimicking natural conditions and can change or adapt to the conditions around them, making them a sustainable option for shoreline management. They also provide many other benefits for humans, plants, and animals, including cleaning water, improving habitat for animals, fish, and birds, and providing aesthetics for property owners.
For more information, visit Delaware Living Shorelines.
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~ DNREC