1. So what about coastal North Carolina?
What kinds of environments do we have on North Carolina coasts?
Artificial reefs, shipwrecks, seagrass, salt marshes, beaches
A lot of people like to live on the coasts, but they have to protect their property. How do they do that?

2. Salt Marshes provide protection
But sometimes it’s not enough
The marsh grasses can slow down wave energy, but in high energy environments or at very high water levels, they’re not enough.
Salt marshes also provide valuable habitat for young fish, crabs, oysters, and birds!

3. People like to live on the coast…
But they have to protect their property!
What are the hazards of living on the coast?
What are some ways to protect coastal property?
Erosion!

4. Where would you want to live if you were a fish?
Tie our shorelines back to structural complexity
Why are some of these better than others?
How would you rank them?

5. Living shorelines might be the answer!
Fish can play hide and seek
and we can protect our houses
What makes this a living shorelines? (There is engineered structure but there’s still living grass!)
Will this provide complexity and protect shorelines?
Lots of research going on in North Carolina to answer questions about what type of shorelines are the best, where they’re the most appropriate, and how to build them.

6. Questions?
Thanks to: UNC-IMS, Carter Smith, Dr. Christine Voss, and countless coworkers and fellow technicians