Living Shorelines vs. Seawalls

Living shorelines, as alternatives to seawalls and bulkheads, were the subject of presentations by three speakers at a meeting in Cedar Key, October 24. Living shorelines may be fostered oyster reef, aquatic plants of other "soft" methods of fighting erosion of waterfront properties.

A speaker used this photo as an illustration of a hardened and lifeless method of fighting erosion.

The three speakers, all Florida Sea Grant extension agents, were Christina Verlinde, Brian Cameron and Scott Jackson. They covered technical, social and regulatory aspects of developing living shorelines. Cedar Key officials City Attorney David Coffey and LPA member Linda Seyfert , and a number of interested citizens heard various way of protecting the shoreline while developing productive habitat for aquatic wildlife.

Dr. Brian Cameron described Project GreenShores in St. Andrew Bay where 30 acres of marsh and 12 acres of oyster reefs have been restored. In another area an old bulkhead has been removed and sea grass beds established. Cameron emphasized the importance of community participation in restoration efforts.

Scott Jackson demonstrated how sea grass can be propagated in a nursery prior to transplantation along a beach.

Scott Jackson expanded on the importance of community involvement. He told of the Grasses in Classes program in which grade school children grow sea grass in small ponds and later transplant the grass along beaches. One school (of many in the program) grew ten thousand plants and put them out, creating a four acre sea grass bed.