The Great Bay Living Shoreline Project aims to create a pipeline of new living shoreline projects in the Great Bay Estuary that protect salt marsh habitat and coastal communities from erosion, sea level rise, and flooding. Science tells us that traditional, grey shoreline stabilization techniques like seawalls and “rip rap” rock walls are harmful to natural ecosystems and, in some cases, are more prone to failure than more natural shorelines in flood events. We also know that sea-level rise is making shoreline erosion worse in the Great Bay Estuary, causing stress on our valuable salt marsh habitats as well as public and private land. A living shoreline is a management practice that provides erosion control benefits; protects, restores or enhances natural shoreline habitat; and maintains coastal processes through the strategic placement of plants, stone, sand fill and other structural organic materials.

The Great Bay Living Shoreline Project team is working with Great Bay community stakeholders to identify four new living shoreline project sites, develop conceptual designs for the chosen sites, provide practical living shoreline design learning opportunities for professionals, and develop and share recommendations for future living shoreline projects in the Great Bay Estuary.