Whereas “hardening” coastline communities meant building structures against nature, softening builds with it by replicating the functions of natural storm mitigation factors, like “oysters, tide pools, grasses, lots of colorful marine life. Staten Island's Resilient Project for Shoreline Restoration The strategy is called “softening” or green infrastructure. And today’s most forward-thinking scientists and engineers are attempting to follow her lead in devising their solutions to climate-change-related problems. They may protect the local area where they’re built but may increase the damage and erosion in adjacent beaches and dunes by re-directing huge flows of water and debris their way.īut Mother Nature herself has evolved several strategies to tame the ferocity of storm winds and water and increase shoreline resilience. In fact, these rigid structures often cause worse damage because they can interfere with natural water currents and prevent sand from naturally shifting along coastlines. It has become apparent that this approach does not work. The operative idea has been to “harden” coastlines against the ravages of Mother Nature. In the past, the proposed solutions to these problems focused on building higher, thicker, and wider protective structures like seawalls, groins, rip-rap, dikes, dams, and revetments, also known as gray infrastructure. The Problem with Hardening Living Shorelines Now, savvy coastal stewards are embracing enhanced erosion protection - Living Breakwaters created from marine mattresses which provide a friendly environment for oyster habitation while mitigating the impact of rising waters and increasingly harsh waves. Where structures subject to scour are involved, the risk is especially grave as disasters such as bridge collapses can ensue. Scientists are confident sea levels will continue to rise through the end of this century and beyond. Coastal erosion costs roughly $500 million per year for property loss in the U.S. When it comes to the myriad of problems resulting from climate change, it’s hard to overstate the gravity of the problems facing coastal communities around the world.
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