An interdisciplinary team is investigating community engagement tools coupled with field activities in the Town of Seabrook to: (1) conduct a stakeholder assessment to evaluate stakeholders’ willingness to pursue a consensus building process informed by science as an alternative to the current approach to resolving the conflicts around shoreline management, including climate adaptation, beach access, plover protection, and dune restoration; (2) determine the extent of die-off of the primary plant used in dune restoration, American Beachgrass, and examine potential causes, treatments, and adaptation toward a more diverse plant community. Understanding the prevalence, spread and potential treatment of this disease is critical information for guiding preservation and future restoration efforts; and (3) engage local residents and volunteers throughout the project in order to create a network of informed citizens and landowners who contribute to healthier dune systems.