Coastal Training Program hosts Nature Based Solutions for Coastal Hazards workshop

Under the increasing threat of hurricanes, coastal storms, and flooding, coastal North Carolina communities are striving to adapt to the changing climate. While it is impossible to eliminate natural hazards, there are tools to build resilience, or the ability for a community to “bounce back” after a hazard event. More frequently, communities are proactively turning to nature to find ways to reduce the risk of coastal hazards.

“Local communities are seeing the benefit of using nature to protect and enhance their existing infrastructure,” says Whitney Jenkins, Coastal Training Program coordinator at the North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve. “Natural infrastructure, such as living shorelines, rain gardens, and wetland restoration, are cost effective ways protect against hazards and reduce pollution by mimicking natural processes.”

To help coastal communities effectively implement natural infrastructure projects, the Reserve’s Coastal Training Program hosted the Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Hazards workshop. This one-day course led by NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management gave participants experience developing a natural infrastructure strategy.

The workshop reviewed common local problems like stormwater runoff, flooding, and erosion and how natural infrastructure can reduce their impact. The discussion highlighted how natural infrastructure projects often build the resilience of the community and surrounding ecosystem at the same time. For example, the benefits of restoring an oyster reef along a shoreline will slow down the wave energy from a storm to reduce erosion as well as create habitat and improve water quality.

Participants also heard from local practitioners about their experiences implementing natural tools, including living shorelines for erosion control and rain gardens and pervious pavement for stormwater control. These projects ranged in size from a homeowner’s small waterfront shoreline to the entire White Oak River watershed.

“One of the goals of the Coastal Training Program is to connect coastal professionals with local experts and real-world natural infrastructure projects,” Jenkins said. “It was great to hear how the City of Jacksonville and the North Carolina Coastal Federation are successfully implementing natural infrastructure to reduce the risk of natural hazards. I believe their expertise helped inspire others to implement these techniques.”

After creating a natural infrastructure strategy to address a coastal hazard, participants pitched their idea to the group, including design, cost, and maintenance of the natural infrastructure practice. This strategy also emphasized engaging partners and other stakeholders to improve the success of the project.

After the workshop, participants were eager to implement their natural infrastructure strategy. One participant said that they “plan to work with the county to improve stormwater management by updating their stormwater master plan, collecting stormwater fees for projects, and designing a maintenance plan.”

The workshop also provided inspiration. “This was not only educational.  The training provided examples of real-world projects, highlighting lessons learned and project success. We all need to see examples of success when we are in an uphill battle.”