An example of a a nature-based shoreline. Credit: NYSDEC.
Measuring Success: Monitoring Natural and Nature-Based Shoreline Features in New York State (2018)
Web Site: www.srijb.org/nys_nnbf
New York Sea Grant (NYSG) is a proud partner for this collaborative two-year initiative, for which the goal is to develop and test a monitoring
framework for a range of shoreline stabilization strategies to better
understand their ability to provide ecological services, mitigate storm
impacts, and contribute to community well-being.
NYSG will help develop monitoring protocols to track the performance of nature-based features and other non-structural and structural shoreline erosion management measures, in the context of varying New York State regional shoreline conditions.
As part of this process, NYSG will work to gather recommendations for monitoring through hosting regional workshops across the three out of four regions of New York State.
Helen Cheng, Coastal Resilience Extension Specialist based in Jamaica Bay, New York City, hosted the New York Harbor regional workshop. Kathleen Fallon, Coastal Processes Specialists based in Long Island, hosted the Long Island regional workshop, and Roy Widrig, Coastal Processes and Hazards Specialist for the Great Lakes region, hosted the Great Lakes regional workshop.
NYSG is also helping in identifying sites for piloting the monitoring framework and the editing and review of the final monitoring Framework.
Some background on this project:
- Sponsors: The New York State Department of State (DOS), the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA)
- Project Team: The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica
Bay, in collaboration with: ARCADIS, City University of New York (CUNY),
Consensus Building Institute, New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary
Program, New York Sea Grant, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation, SCAPE Landscape Architecture,
The Nature Conservancy, US Forest Service – NYC Urban Field Station
Related Sea Grant Resources:
Nature Based Solutions – Science and Resilience Institute
Website: srijb.org/nature-based-solutions
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) involve utilizing natural features and processes as versatile alternatives to traditional built structures. The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay (SRIJB) is engaged in various projects focused on researching natural and nature-based features (NNBF) and establishing a community practice for implementing and monitoring NBS.
Organizers: SRIJB, City University of New York, National Park Service, NYC Parks, Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn College, Sea Grant
Nature-Based Shoreline Practices Workshop
Website: www.nyseagrant.org/naturebasedshorelines
Exploring the possible uses of natural materials such as sand and vegetation for shoreline erosion management was the focus of this December 2016 Great Lakes nature-based shorelines workshop.
Organizers: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Great Lakes Watershed Program, New York Sea Grant, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and other partnering federal, state and county agencies, non-government organizations, and private consultants.
Living Shorelines for Coastal Erosion Protection in a Changing World
Website: www.nyseagrant.org/livingshorelines
Examined in this May 2013 workshop was “living shorelines,” which many coastal communities are looking to as the preferred method for dealing with erosion problems because the environmental benefits of this approach and because it is considered more adaptable to potential impacts associated with climate change such as increased sea level rise.
Organizers: New York Sea Grant, U.S. Fish and Life Service, U.S.D.A Natural Resources Conservation Service Cape May Plant Materials Center, New York Department of State Coastal Management Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Suffolk and Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation Service Districts, Long Island Contractors Association, First Coastal, Corp., GEI, Consultants.
