Coastal Erosion at Highland Beach, Maryland

Highland beach is located in Anne Arundel, Maryland. The area has connections to Frederick Douglass and Arthur Ashe and some of the streets are named after these and other notable Black people. It was founded summer 1893 by Frederick Douglass' son, after facing discrimination from another beach resort. This beach became home and a great vacation space for Black Americans, especially during the Jim Crow era, and is still a populated vacation spot. I am interested in the history of this area, as well as the viability of nature-based solutions, and how together, they protect an important part of history. Protecting pieces of history against climate change is very important. Communities rely on their physical pieces of history in order to be able to share them with others.

Nature-based solutions are, as quoted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is "actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. We can think of this as the sustainable use of nature for the purpose of stopping the effects and impact of climate change. An example: Living shorelines are very popular as a NbS for coastlines. They provide biodiversity by planting native plants along the shore, they provide homes for other organisms, and they help anchor the beach and protect against high velocity of waves:

• Nature-based solutions are intended to: embrace conservation norms, be implemented in a manner that also addresses societal challenges, site specific, maintain biological diversity, applicable on a landscape scale

• These systems are also quite easy to manage, because there is not a significant amount of upkeep required

• They also include communities, which is great for encouraging other types of sustainable practices

• Its important to involve the voices of local community members when creating solutions against climate change. To go in without the permission/advice of the people currently living there would not only be disrespectful, it might inspire resistance to the solution

In 2003, Hurricane Isabel caused a lot of damage to Highland beach, destroying 600 feet of coastal front

This did, however, bring a lot of sand into the area

Clean up started in 2004 under former Commissioner Ray Langston, who worked with the Federal Emergency Managment Agency (FEMA) to reservice the pier. He also worked with Zora Lathan former Town Manager and Environmental Consultant to look work on beach clean up

Zora suggested the implementation of a nature-based solution known as a "Living shoreline" to prevent further damage to the coast. After several meetings and a filled out application, she received the Chesapeake Bay Trust 

This particular living shoreline was intended to stabilize the sand and also provide habitat for wildlife

She first installed biologs (100% biodegradable fibers bound by netting) and biomesh materials (made from coconut fibers). These served as short term solutions (since they are biodegradable, they don't last forever), so native grasses were planted as a longer term solution. This stabilization helped keep the beach from losing the sand that it gained during the 2003 storm, and made a new home for the wildlife that was lost during the storm. These ended up being 100'x50'.

In 2013, the living shoreline needed an upgrade, as sand was disappearing, especially around the pier entrance. Water infiltration was also an issue and was traveling into the streets

An unsuccessful attempt in 2012 was made by utilizing Switch Grasses and Seaside Goldenrods to help stabilize. This was not strong enough to keep up with the eroding shoreline so a different approach started in 2013

The town decided to install a stone revetment and they reshaped the landward part of the pier to be able to make room for the new installation. This also improved handicap accessibility. 

In order to keep with the natural based solution, there were several native perennials added directly to the shoreline as an additional buffer.

While not necessarily a solution to erosion, Highland beach is also home to other environmental stewardship projects. They built several rain gardens, the first being in 2003. This garden is located on the northern end of the beach, and it helps to move a large volume of storm water runoff that flows down into the streets. The garden in 100'X20" and has been quite successful.

The second garden was installed in 2004, across from their Frederick Douglass Museum with the purpose of excavating soil.

In 2015, the town took on a new environmental project that was called Highland Beach RainScaping Park, which includes native trees and shrubs, a bench surrounding a River Birch tree and other recreational perks. The purpose was to include a place of natural habitat for both people and wildlife to enjoy

Highland Beach is special to me, not just as a native of the DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area, but as a black person. The town has put a lot of effort into keep their history, both culturally and environmentally, alive and thriving. 

A big part of sustainability should always be the preservation of cultures, and Highland Beach has been able to keep those native species alive since 1893.