NOAA Living Shoreline Projects

Volunteers planting wetland grasses at a Living Shorelines site. Photo credit: Rich Takacs, NOAA Restoration Center Volunteers planting wetland grasses at Barren Island in Maryland. Photo credit: Alison Ward-Maksym, NOAA Restoration Center

NOAA’s Restoration Center is dedicated to the protection and restoration of marine, estuarine, and riparian habitats for the purpose of enhancing NOAA trust resources in U.S. waters. Within the Restoration Center, the NOAA Community-based Restoration Program (CRP) has restored habitats since 1996 by partnering with state and local governments; tribal nations; students and educational institutions; youth conservation corps; private landowners; and nonprofit, nongovernmental, community, recreational, commercial, and environmental organizations. NOAA provides technical assistance and funding to partners for on-the-ground restoration projects that promote a conservation ethic and the stewardship of living marine resources.

A. Living Shoreline Project Funding

In 2004, NOAA’s Restoration Center developed and released a Living Shoreline Initiative Grant Program in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust, and The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment. The grant program funds applicants wishing to implement the Living Shorelines approach by using materials such as wetland grasses, SAV, natural fiber logs, clean fill, low-crested rock sills, and “living breakwaters” to restore habitat. Examples of past Living Shoreline projects funded by the NOAA Restoration Center are shown on the map below, and several new Living Shoreline projects have been funded under this initiative for 2005.

For more information please visit: Living Shoreline Initiative Grant Program

B. Map of NOAA Living Shoreline Projects

Click on the yellow boxes for regional examples of Living Shorelines projects: