Coastal Restoration - For the Expert

Coastal Ecosystem Restoration

For the Expert: National Review of Innovative and Successful Coastal Habitat Restoration

Innovative Methods and Techniques

As the science of habitat restoration matures, coastal restoration practitioners are developing new and innovative ways to increase the efficiency and success of restoration efforts. These new methods range considerably in their scale of application, from addressing small, site-specific issues, to having a larger, regional or national focus. In salt marsh restoration, for example, organic baffles are being used in New England in low wave-energy environments to stabilize the eroding edges of marshes. In Coastal Louisiana, vegetated terraces are constructed to diminish wave energy, thereby increasing sediment deposition and facilitating marsh growth. Restorers of seagrass in the Florida Keys use biodegradable, sediment filled tubes to promote the recovery of seagrass damaged from boat propellers. To address large-scale seagrass restoration, researchers in Chesapeake Bay are developing methods to harvest viable eelgrass seeds as an alternative to the more expensive method of transplanting mature plants from donor areas. The restoration of oyster reef habitat in Tampa Bay uses a similar approach to methods being used to restore hard bottom and coral reef habitat in Florida's coastal waters. Small, pre-cast concrete balls are placed along seawalls to promote re-establishment of oyster reef habitat and other littoral benthic communities. Also in Florida, large pre-fabricated limestone-covered concrete modules are deployed to restore and enhance coral reef communities. Kelp habitat in Southern California is being restored through a variety of strategies, from cultivation of juvenile kelp in laboratories to opportunistic transplanting of drift kelp. Table 3 summarizes these methods and other innovative techniques found in our nationwide review.

Table 3. Innovative Coastal Restoration Techniques
Salt Marsh
Dike removal Deep Water Slough Restoration Project Skagit River, Washington Dike removal (instead of breaching) to restore tidal hydrology to system Curtis Tanner, USFWS http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/publicmenu/DOCUMENTS/deepwater.pdf Dike removal and experimental elevation adjustment Winchester Tidelands Restoration Project South Slough NERR, Oregon Dike and tidegate removal. Dynamited to create tidal creek. Created experimental marsh mesocosms. See also Section 3.1. Steve Rumrill or Craig Cornu, South Slough NERR http://www.southsloughestuary.org Soil amendments Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program Tijuana Estuary NERR, Southern California Use of different treatments with soils, such as mixing in kelp and organics, and different amendments to see how it affects marsh growth. See also Section 3.1. Jeff Crook, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve www.tijuanaestuary.com Terracing Little Vermilion Bay Sediment Trapping Vermilion Parish, Louisiana Construction of a series of vegetated terraces to diminish waves, increasing sediment deposition, and reducing rate of shoreline erosion. John Foret, NOAA Fisheries http://www.lacoast.gov Barrier islands shoreline Barataria Barrier Island Complex Project Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana Use of mathematical modeling to determine placement of dredged material to prevent breaching of island and to create dune, swale, and intertidal marsh. Rachel Sweeney, NOAA Fisheries http://www.lacoast.gov Hydrologic Restoration Black Bayou Hydrologic Restoration Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana Use of a self-regulating tide gate to regulate tidal flushing. John Foret, NOAA Fisheries http://www.lacoast.gov High School nursery program Sea Grasses in Classes Tampa Bay, Florida (also Chesapeake Bay and Galveston Bay) Use of Tampa Bay school system to grow salt-marsh grasses in on-campus nurseries to provide a source of wetland plants for large-scale Bay restoration projects. Peter Clark, Executive Director of Tampa Bay Watch www.tampabaywatch.org Marsh Renourishment through Dredged Material Disposal Sediment Recycling Masonboro Island, North Carolina Determination of whether placement of dredged material in tidal marshes could be used to offset marsh deterioration. ( See also Section 3.1.) Lynn Leonard, University of North Carolina http://people.uncw.edu/lynnl/ciceet.htm Spartina seedling transplant Field trial of Spartina alterniflora seedling establishment in a created salt marsh Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina Test of survival of greenhouse-grown cordgrass seedlings (grown using various combinations of watering, fertilizer, soil types) under field conditions David Padgett, University of North Carolina or Charles R. Wilson Geo-textile tubes and dredged materials to expand salt-marsh areas Barren Island Wetland Restoration Chesapeake Bay (also numerous other locations) Use of dredged sand to fill polyester geotextile tubes to expand and stabilize shoreline, then filled 11 acres behind tubes and planted with salt-marsh vegetation Rich Takacs, NOAA Fisheries http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PROJECTS/Wetlands/Barren_Is/ Filtration Enhancement Devices (FEDS) Organic Baffles to Improve Salt-marsh Stability and Water Quality Great Bay NERR, New England Use of porous, organic baffles to enhance filtration and reduce resuspension of sediment to stabilize edges of eroding salt marsh. David Burdick, Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, New Hamphsire http://ciceet.unh.edu
Great Lakes Marsh
Water control structure to create barrier beach Metzger Marsh Restoration Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, near Toledo, Ohio Construction of dike to replace barrier beach with water control structure to maintain hydrologic connection to Lake Erie. Doug Wilcox, USGS Great Lakes Science Center http://www.glsc.usgs.gov/science/wetlands/Metzger.thm
Seagrass
Propogation of donor eelgrass stocks Clinton Ferry Terminal Eelgrass Restoration Puget Sound, Washington Stockpiling of eelgrass from the area of future impact (five-fold increase in population at lab), then transplanting to areas near the site Amy Borde, Battelle Marine Science Lab, Washington Modeling and use of dredged material Middle Harbor Enhancement Area Oakland Bay, California Use of dredged material to create 100+ acres of shallow-water habitat, including eelgrass Sediment tubes in propeller scars Seagrass Restoration in Propeller Scars Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Florida Keys The use of biodegradable fabric, sediment-filled tubes to fill propeller scars and enhance seagrass recovery in propeller scars. See also Section 3.1. Kamille Hammerstrom, NOAA Fisheries http://www.seagrass.net/ Bird stakes to increase fertilization Seagrass Restoration in Propeller Scars South Florida Transplanting of seagrasses and fertilization from birds roosting on specially designed roosting stakes. See also Section 3.1. Judson Kenworthy, NOAA Fisheries http://shrimp.ccfhrb.noaa.gov/~mfonseca/reports.html Seed collection Guidebook on Collection, Processing, and Storage of Eeelgrass Seeds Developed in Rhode Island, but applicable where seed production is high Guidebook on seed development, tips for collection, and methods for separation and storage Stephen Granger Guidebook available from: Rhode Is. Sea Grant Communications Office Univ. of RI Bay Campus Narragansett, RI 02882-1197 (order P1635) Seed broadcasting Seagrass Restoration in Virginia Multiple Sites in Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Coastal Bays Broadcasting of seagrass seeds from a boat (planted 41 acres in 2001 utilizing 4.2 million seeds). See also Section 3.1. Bob Orth, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) http://www.vims.edu/bio/sav Mechanical seed planter Large-Scale, Seed-Based Eelgrass Restoration Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island Use of mechanized underwater seed-planter to inject seagrass seeds mixed in gel matrix into sediment. Scott Nixon, University of Rhode Island http://ciceet.unh.edu Bioturbation fences Great Bay Estuary Eelgrass Mitigation Piscataqua River Estuary, New Hampshire Development of method of fencing seagrass transplant plots to reduce bioturbation by green crabs. Fred Short, University of New Hampshire Restoration Ecology, Vol. 6, 1989, pg. 297-302 Transplanting Eelgrass Remotely with Frame System (TERFS) New Bedford Harbor Eelgrass Ttransplant New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts Perfection of the TERFS method, which uses a reusable frame, protects against bioturbation, and allows for community involvement Fred Short, University of New Hampshire http://shrimp.ccfhrb.noaa.gov/lab/fonseca/guide/chap3.pdf
Kelp
Integrated kelp restoration program Southern California Regional Kelp Restoration Project Southern California (San Diego to Santa Barbara) 1) outplanting of laboratory-cultivated juvenile kelp, 2) use of sporophyll bags to "reseed" barren reefs with Macrocystis spores, 3) relocation of sea urchin grazers, and 4) transplanting drift kelp. Chantal Collier, California Coastkeepers http://www.cacoastkeeper.org
Mangrove
Riley encased methodology (REM™) to enhance mangrove restoration and habitat creation. Mangrove Replenishment Initiative Central east coast Florida Mangrove seedlings are encased in PVC tubing to provide protection and support until establishment, enabling restoration of mangrove in high-energy environments where natural recruitment no longer occurs. Robert W. Riley, Jr., Mangrove Replenishment Initiative http://www.mangrove.org Mangroves and Salt Marshes (Incorporated into 'Wetlands Ecology and Management' in 2000) December 1999 3(4) :207-213 Site construction without planting Cross Bayou Mangrove Restoration Site Pinellas County, Florida Restoration of mangroves without planting, but through engineered site elevations and removal of dredge spoils. Robin Lewis, Lewis Environmental Services
Coral Reef
Reef modules & limestone boulders Gulfstream Pipeline Offshore & Inshore Mitigation Tampa Bay and seaward to 130' depth, seaward of Pinellas, Florida Deployment of large limestone rocks (2.5- to 4.5-ft diameter) and reef modules (consisting of a reinforced concrete slab with a hollow concrete and limestone dome on top), which provide refugia. Walter C. Jaap, Florida Marine Research Institute or Harold Hudson, NOAA Fisheries For reef module information: www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/special/wellwood/restoration Coral reattachment to reef substrate C/V Hind Grounding Site Off Fort Lauderdale, Florida Reattachment of >300 corals 2 months after grounding. Mapping and monitoring of reattached corals showed 74% live and securely attached. See also Section 3.1. D.S. Gilliam, National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ncri/projects/hind/index.html Coral recruitment to artificial reef substrate U.S.S. Memphis Grounding Site Off Fort Lauderdale, Florida Deployment of 160 artificial reef modules (Reef Balls) adjacent to grounding site and treatment with coral larval attractants. Monitoring of coral development and fish assemblage. See also Section 3.1. T.P. Quinn, National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ncri/projects/memphis/index.html
Oyster Reef
Reef Balls™ at base of sea walls Seawall Oyster Reef Project Tampa Bay, Florida Use of concrete reef balls along seawalls to promote reestablishment of oyster reef and other benthic communities. info@tampabaywatch.org http://www.tampabaywatch.org/seawallreef.htm Use of recycled oyster shell for reef restoration S. Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement (SCORE) South Carolina Restoration and enhancement of oyster habitat by planting recycled oyster shells in intertidal environment with volunteers Nancy Hadley, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources http://www3.csc.noaa.gov/scoysters

Coastal Services Center

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

For the Expert: National Review of Innovative and Successful Coastal Habitat Restoration

Innovative Methods and Techniques