Integrating Science with Landowner Outreach to Increase Coastal Resiliency
Presentation Abstract
Shoreline armoring is identified as a Vital Sign of the health of Puget Sound by the Puget Sound Partnership. The Partnership adopted a recovery target of more armor removed than installed by 2020. The Northwest Straits Foundation’s (NWSF) mission includes restoration of nearshore habitats in the Northwest Straits region of the Salish Sea and the NWSF adopted a goal to restore one mile of shoreline by 2017. Removing unnecessary shore armor is a straightforward approach to restoring habitat forming processes and ameliorating the deleterious effects of shore armor on nearshore habitats. This project aims to influence private and public landowners to remove armor that is not necessary. NWSF, Coastal Geologic Services and the seven county Marine Resources Committees collaborated to identify feasible high benefit armor removal projects to focus a comprehensive outreach program to priority shoreline landowners in order to work towards our ultimate goals of armor removal and restoration of nearshore ecosystem processes.
A GIS-based assessment was used to identify feasible, high benefit armor removal sites where outreach efforts should be focused to attain landowner willingness to remove that armor. The outreach project provides landowners with science-based information and incentives to remove armor. Techniques include free workshops, free technical site visits, free engineered designs, and permitting assistance. To date, eleven workshops were held and 55 technical site visits were provided. Currently five armor removal designs have been developed for willing land owners. Armor removal at these sites will restore 2,430 feet of shoreline and sediment transport to 5.8 miles of down-drift shore.
Session Title
Integrating Science with Landowner Outreach to Increase Coastal Resiliency
Conference Track
Shorelines
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Shore protection--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Shorelines--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Coastal zone management--Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Integrating Science with Landowner Outreach to Increase Coastal Resiliency
2016SSEC
Shoreline armoring is identified as a Vital Sign of the health of Puget Sound by the Puget Sound Partnership. The Partnership adopted a recovery target of more armor removed than installed by 2020. The Northwest Straits Foundation’s (NWSF) mission includes restoration of nearshore habitats in the Northwest Straits region of the Salish Sea and the NWSF adopted a goal to restore one mile of shoreline by 2017. Removing unnecessary shore armor is a straightforward approach to restoring habitat forming processes and ameliorating the deleterious effects of shore armor on nearshore habitats. This project aims to influence private and public landowners to remove armor that is not necessary. NWSF, Coastal Geologic Services and the seven county Marine Resources Committees collaborated to identify feasible high benefit armor removal projects to focus a comprehensive outreach program to priority shoreline landowners in order to work towards our ultimate goals of armor removal and restoration of nearshore ecosystem processes.
A GIS-based assessment was used to identify feasible, high benefit armor removal sites where outreach efforts should be focused to attain landowner willingness to remove that armor. The outreach project provides landowners with science-based information and incentives to remove armor. Techniques include free workshops, free technical site visits, free engineered designs, and permitting assistance. To date, eleven workshops were held and 55 technical site visits were provided. Currently five armor removal designs have been developed for willing land owners. Armor removal at these sites will restore 2,430 feet of shoreline and sediment transport to 5.8 miles of down-drift shore.
