Nature-Based Solutions
Exploring the potential for nature-based solutions to address coastal threats in the National Parks
What Are Nature-Based Solutions?
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are methods of restoration, protection, or conservation that leverage the use of nature and natural ecosystems to help address the needs and challenges of society and the environment together.
The Nature Conservancy defines NBS as, "project solutions that are motivated and supported by nature and that may also offer environmental, economic, and social benefits, while increasing resilience. Nature-based solutions include both green and natural infrastructure.”
While many organizations use the term 'nature-based solutions,' other terms are used including 'natural and nature-based features (NNBF),' or Engineering with Nature ® , which is a program run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
How Can NBS Help Coastal Areas?
In the coastal environment NBS include oyster reef seeding, dune stabilization, the restoration of kelp forest, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds, and other means of restoring natural habitats and features. NBS provide many benefits for coastal areas such as shoreline stabilization, mitigation of storm surges, reduction of coastal erosion, water filtration, and increased habitat for marine life.
In addition to the restoring and enhancing natural ecosystems, NBS may include actions such as creation of living shorelines, which use plants and other natural elements to stabilize shorelines, sometimes as hybrid approaches in combination with harder shoreline structures in high energy environments.
NBS can also include incorporating such green infrastructure features as permeable pavements and tree trenches, green roofs, rain gardens, or simply planting more trees and other native vegetation where possible in coastal communities to stabilize shorelines, minimize damaging runoff by absorbing stormwater, reduce erosion and flood risk, and help to protect natural ecosystems. Sustainable planning and design are also a key aspect of nature-based solutions in developed areas.
How can NBS help National Parks?
NBS offer opportunities for parks to mitigate and adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. Restoring coastal ecosystems such as marshes, coral reefs, or kelp forests can help reduce the impacts and associated risks of climate change, such as sea level rise, increased storm intensity, flooding, and coastal erosion among others. Such restoration efforts provide additional benefits to parks including increased habitat for critical species and increased biodiversity.
Not only are coastal ecosystems and habitats within parks under threat, but also important historical monuments, archeological and cultural sites, park infrastructure, and visitor facilities. NBS can provide options for parks to help mitigate these threats using an ecosystem focused approach. Many times, a hybrid approach is required to address these issues such as combining beach nourishment with groins, or utilizing an artificial core to stabilize dunes in restoration projects.
Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Highway Resilience | FHWA (dot.gov) (View hybrid solutions sub-section)
Examples of NBS
NBS have already been employed in National Parks and other coastal areas to tackle the challenges they are facing due to climate change. The wide range of NBS possibilities allow parks to tailor solutions that are unique to their specific needs and ecosystems.
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Canaveral National Seashore (CANA): Protection of Archeological Sites
CANA is home to large, intact, prehistoric shell mounds, including Turtle Mound the tallest intact shell mound in the mainland United States. Sea level rise and increased storm frequency and intensity have exacerbated shoreline erosion in the area and threatened the shell mounds. To address this issue multiple living shoreline solutions were used to reduce erosion. These included planting cordgrass and mangroves as well as installing oyster restoration mats and oyster shell bags. A key part of this project was the engagement of the community and local volunteers in the implementation of the project.
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Point Reyes National Seashore (PORE): Wetland Restoration
The Giacomini Wetland Restoration Project was completed by the PORE and partners to restore agricultural lands purchased by the Park Service in 2000 back to its former state which includes a significant wetland ecosystem. In 2007 and 2008 alone over 240 hectares of former agricultural land were restored through the removal of levees, creations of channels, planting of native species, and removal of non-native species. This ongoing restoration project provides protection from flooding for nearby structures, habitat for native and rare species, and water filtration.
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Living Shorelines Protecting Alabama's Gulf Coast
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stabilized and restored roughly 500 meters of coastline along Alabama's Gulf Coast. They constructed oyster reefs along the coastline to buffer storm surges and protect the coast from the effects of sea level rise. The use of natural ecosystems and species to create coastal protection is referred to as a 'living shoreline.'
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Marsh Enhancement with Toe Protection: Great Egg Harbor Bay New Jersey
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) utilized a hybrid approach to stabilize approximately 1 mile of bay island shoreline where marsh banks were eroding due to increased boat wakes. To accommodate the varied wave height along this shoreline, the NJDOT identified four solutions. These included reshaping the shoreline using onsite materials, implementing coir fascine edging around the marsh toe which are bundles of coconut husks that are dense enough not to float and prevent erosion while also allowing plants to grow from them. They also planted Spartina alterniflora on the landward side of the coir fascines and used a stone marsh toe revetement and sheet pile wall for the areas with the highest wave heights.
The first attempt at stabilizing this shoreline in 2010 yielded mixed results with the areas that experienced higher wave heights faring the worst. However, after adjustments of the location of the materials and moving the coir fascines to higher elevations the shoreline experienced an increase in marsh coverage, plant height, and plant density. Additionally, the shoreline was undamaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Other Good Examples of NBS in National Parks
International Case Studies
Around the world NBS have provided opportunities for communities, parks, and nations to combat sea level rise, storm surges, flooding, erosion and many other coastal hazards while supporting and restoring critical natural ecosystems.
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Kelp Forests in South Korea
To mitigate climate impacts in South Korea's coastal areas, a team of scientists have created a Coastal CO2 Removal Belt (CCRB). This belt consists of communities of kelp species and other aquatic plants that create valuable fish habitat and draw down CO2. In some areas of the belt scientists determined that perennial brown kelp species Ecklonia can sequester up to 10 tons of CO2 per hectare per year. The CCRB will provide additional coastal habitat and storm surge mitigation, among other benefits, for the immediate coastal communities of southern South Korea, as well as broader help mitigating climate impacts thanks to the large carbon sequestration potential.
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Seagrass in the Baltic Sea
Seagrass beds are geographically widespread and provide many benefits to coastal communities, such as carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and water filtration. In order to promote resilience among beds of Zostera marina in the Baltic Sea, researchers worked to increase the genetic diversity of the Z. marina community.
This project aligned with the 2003 heat wave in Europe and the results showed that Z. marina plots with increased genetic diversity faired far better in the unnaturally high temperatures than the control plots. These results emphasize the importance of genetic diversity in restoration projects and highlights how genetically diverse communities will continue to provide coastal protection and other benefits in the face of further climatic changes.
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Coral Reef Restoration and Protection in Mexico
Covering over 600 kilometers of coastline across Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) is the largest reef system in the Western Hemisphere and provides important habitat for many species. It also serves as an important form of coastal defense against hurricanes, storm surges and increased wave action. The MAR, however, is threatened by increased pollution, storm damage, ocean acidification and rising ocean temperatures. To help preserve this valuable reef system, a public-private partnership was established known as the Coastal Zone Management Trust (CZMT) was created.
Using a wide range of research methods, the CZMT performed a risk-based valuation of the MAR to quantify the risks posed to the coastline of Quinta-Roo, Mexico. These methods included gathering population density data, physical infrastructure from aerial imagery, and storm frequency predictions to estimate the likely impacts of future storms when combined with elevation and bathymetric data. This allowed the CZMT create an insurance policy for the protective services provided by the reef which provides financing for the conservation and restoration of the reef.
Looking Forward
In 2022 the Biden Administration set aside $25 billion in funding for infrastructure and climate projects with a focus on NBS through the Nature-Based Solution Roadmap that was unveiled at 27th United Nations climate summit held in Egypt in November 2022. This will allow for the expansion of NBS projects around the country.
