The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (ASNF) utilized over 25 million funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support projects that increase local employment, support forest restoration and fire mitigation, and boost local economy. Projects included forest restoration and fuels reduction, recreation and related road improvements, forest fire rehabilitation efforts, and greenhouse construction on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

Brunswick Town–Fort Anderson is an important historic site on the North Carolina coast. To prevent further erosion and negative impacts from storms and sea-level rise, the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources installed 140-meters of Reefmaker along the shoreline. This stabilized the shoreline and produces multiple co-benefits.  

Cape Lookout State Park, located in coastal Oregon, experienced extreme erosion and storm damage to its beach and infrastructure. Instead of a less aesthetic, more expensive, seawall or revetment, managers opted to build a cobble berm backed by an artificial dune to increase coastal protection and enhance the natural shoreline community. 

Cat Island and Ship Island are barrier islands off the coast of Mississippi that provide protection to coastal communities from erosion and storm surges. This project used millions of cubic meters of sand and reused dredged sediment to restore the islands’ beaches and dunes.  

Cleveland Metroparks worked closely with 12 community-based organizations and 40 stakeholder groups in restoring Lake Erie’s eastern shorefront. The team managed to conduct virtual and in-person outreach activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and develop a plan for 150 acres of park and habitat amenities, including 80 acres of newly acquired park land.

Oregon DOT designed several nature-based solutions to protect the 363-mile-long Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 101) from extreme events and coastal bluff erosion. Three demonstration sites were selected, where cobble beaches were restored to enhance natural wave protection along the backshore.

While massive waves attract surfers and visitors to the North Shore of O‘ahu in Hawai‘i, they also cause coastal erosion and high sea level events that threaten coastal residents. Instead of building sea walls, the state took an ecological approach by restoring sand dunes in front of coastal properties.

Deer Island is a barrier island in the Mississippi Sound that protects the city of Biloxi from storm impacts, sea-level rise, and wind impacts. Storms caused a breach in the island, reducing elevation, killing vegetation and eroding beaches. The island was restored using dredged material to increase elevation and nourish beaches.  

An engineer-ecologist team designed a living shoreline tailored to conditions on New England coastlines. After site analysis, the team used coir products (“marsh pillows”) in their living shoreline design. This winter storm-resistant approach slowed the erosion of a 30-foot bank, increased vegetation cover, and protected coastal properties. 

This project will restore dunes on Duxbury Beach to prevent erosion and enhance the beach’s ability to protect communities behind it from storm surges and sea-level rise. 76,633 tons of sand were used to restore the dunes. The dunes were raised to 17ft high, and the tops of the dunes were raised to over 45 feet.  

Two hurricanes in 2004 destroyed Fort Pierce, Florida’s waterfront. This waterfront is a public access space that includes a park and a marina. The city and Tetra Tech Inc. developed a 6-hectare island breakwater system that will protect the city under current conditions and adapt to projected sea-level rise.  

King Fisher Beach in Port O’Connor, Texas is a major destination for tourists and local recreation. It is increasingly susceptible to the impacts of storm surge, sea-level rise, and erosion. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nourished King Fisher Beach with 58,305 cubic meters of dredged sediment. 

The MacDill Air Force Base (AFB) Oyster Reef Shoreline Stabilization Project in Tampa, Florida is a collaboration between the base and Tampa Bay Watch, a local nonprofit. This living shoreline project reduces erosion, provides protection from storms and sea-level rise, improves water quality, and enhances habitat. 

Mordecai Island in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey suffered an erosional cut that separated off a portion of the island. This project filled in said cut and restored coastal habitat on the island with dredged materials from the NJ Intracoastal Waterway. This island protects local communities from storm and sea-level rise impacts. 

Dredged material from Murrells Inlet, SC was placed at Garden City Beach and Huntington Beach State Park. These beach nourishment projects protect beach-front infrastructure from erosion and storm impacts, as well as create increased habitat for numerous bird species. Beneficial use of dredged material helps reduce future maintenance costs. 

North Carolina Highway 24 is located between multiple waterways and is vulnerable to sea-level rise, storm surges, and coastal erosion. The NC Department of Transportation opted for nature-based solutions over traditional repairs. This project constructed 260 meters of living shoreline, comprised of granite rock and oyster reef structures and a 0.1-hectare salt marsh. 

The northern barrier bar in North Sandy Pond was experiencing flooding and erosion, and was at risk of a full breach. This project placed local sand in strategic locations to utilize Lake Ontario’s longshore currents to replenish eroded sections of the beach. Volunteers also planted native beach grasses to further stabilize the shoreline. 

Along Water Street in Yorktown, VA, York County led a shoreline protection project that placed clean sand fill and rock breakwaters to form a series of pocket beaches—beaches stabilized by artificial or natural headlands. The project provides protection to approximately 1,600 feet of Route 1020 (Water Street) along the York River.

The MWRD is working with the village of Robbins to help reduce flooding, restore Midlothian Creek, and create recreational and economic development opportunities to strengthen and revitalize the community. The Robbins Heritage Park and Midlothian Creek Restoration Project helps address overbank flooding through a new stormwater park and pond, along with improvements to Midlothian Creek and an overflow channel.

The San Francisco Bay Living Shorelines Project is implementing oyster reef and eelgrass bed restoration at two locations to demonstrate the ability of living shorelines to protect coastal infrastructure and communities while enhancing biodiversity. The oyster reefs and eelgrass beds successfully reduce wave energy, minimizing erosion and decreasing flood risks for the coastline.