Resources from Leadership Workshop

Coastal Federation Site visits

NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

Since 2001, the Federation has had an ongoing partnership with the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores to address erosion along the Aquarium's shoreline. A 400-foot granite living shoreline and marsh plantings was constructed in 2001. In 2017, the Aquarium, North Carolina Coastal Federation, scientists from the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Carteret Community College, and Sandbar Oyster Company partnered together to construct a 185-foot living shoreline using Oyster Catcher™ materials. In the spring of 2018, 2019, and 2023 student and community volunteers also assisted in planting marsh grasses along the shore. Through recent funding from the N.C. General Assembly, the Federation is working with the Aquarium and local researchers to install 4,214-feet of living shoreline along the Aquarium shoreline to address the ongoing erosion and saltmarsh loss along the shore. UNC and ECU researchers will conduct a 3-year study examining the correlation between living shorelines and the distribution of seagrass and salt marsh as well as fish habitat value and use Through the implementation of this project and education and outreach efforts, the shoreline at the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores has received significant attention and has attracted numerous researchers to use the site for living shoreline research. The shoreline continues to be used as a demonstration site to educate others about living shorelines.  

McGinnis Point Living Shoreline

McGinnis Point HomeOwners Association in Pine Knoll Shores has seen severe erosion and saltmarsh loss the past several years through increased storm events and boat wake. The North Carolina Coastal Federation partnered with the HOA to install a 1,484-foot living shoreline in 2022 and 2023. The living shoreline was constructed by Native Shorelines using QuickReef materials. Funding was from NC Division of Soil and Water Conservation Community Conservation Assistance Program and through the NC General Assembly. 

Coastal Federation Site visits

Carteret Community College Living Shoreline

Beginning in 2004, the Federation worked with many partners to build a living shoreline along the western portion of the campus using a variety of methods and materials. These techniques included offshore stone breakwaters, stone and oyster shell bag sills, reef balls, a stormwater wetland, and plantings of salt marsh and other wetland plants. The project was part of a campus-wide stormwater management plan and also included the transplanting and enhancement of seagrass. In addition to shoreline stability, these techniques were designed to provide salt marsh, oyster, and seagrass habitats and to improve the water quality of Bogue Sound. The eastern portion of the shoreline at the College that was not protected by living shorelines sustained more than $1 million in damage as a result of Hurricane Florence in 2018. In 2019, the Federation worked with the College and Arendell Engineers to design and secure funding to restore the remaining College shoreline with an additional living shoreline. Construction of a 1,250-foot granite sill and the planting of 25,430 salt marsh grasses was completed in 2021, protecting and restoring 17.5 acres of salt marsh, oysters, and upland including 4 buildings on campus.  An additional 11,131 plugs of salt marsh grasses were planted in spring 2022 and 2023. The rock sill was constructed by T.A. Loving. The project was supported by funds from the Golden LEAF Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Emergency Coastal Resilience Fund, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the N.C. Community College System.

Fort Macon State Park Living Shoreline 

The living shoreline project at Fort Macon State Park is a 2,400-foot granite rock living shoreline that will reduce erosion of the soundside area of the park. It will also protect the adjacent U.S. Coast Guard property and will rebuild some of the emergent salt marsh that was lost due to the placement of dredge spoils on top of the marsh years ago. Granite rock was chosen as the material for this living shoreline due to the intense rate of erosion the area has already seen and the high wave energy that affects the area in part because of boat traffic. Granite sills reduce the impacts of waves and storm surge and create calm water landward of the structure, allowing for sediment accretion and shoreline stabilization. The granite sill was installed in early 2024 and was planted with marsh grasses in spring 2024. Additional plantings will be performed in spring 2025. The living shoreline was designed by Quible & Associates, P.C. and constructed by Carolina Marine Structures. Native Shorelines assisted with construction inspections and planted the native grasses in the spring of 2024 along with community volunteers. The project is supported by the North Carolina General Assembly through an appropriation administered by the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, and the NC Division of Soil and Water Conservation Community Conservation Assistance Program.