NDPTC Participates in Living Shorelines Workshop at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

Posted on Sept. 12, 2016

Combining habitat restoration, coastal engineering, and coastal ecosystem conservation, "living shorelines" present an alternative to conventional coastal armoring methods by incorporating natural elements into coastal protection and adaptation projects.

The National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC) was among a group of partner organizations that helped organize a workshop on the use of ‘living shorelines’ to increase coastal resilience at the recent IUCN World Conservation Congress.  Combining habitat restoration, coastal engineering, and coastal ecosystem conservation, living shorelines present an alternative to conventional coastal armoring methods by incorporating natural elements into coastal protection and adaptation projects.  Titled, “Living Shorelines on Tropical Islands: Creating and maintain healthy coastal systems and improving community resilience in the face of climate change”, the workshop was hosted by the Hawaii Shore and Beach Preservation Association (HSBPA) and presented select case studies showcasing the use of living shoreline techniques in tropical island settings around the world.  The workshop incorporated physical shoreline models, aquaria, and presentations from leading researchers to foster discussion among participants regarding various living shoreline techniques.

 The World Conservations Congress is the decision making body of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the largest conservation conference in the world.  Hosted in the United States for the first time, this quadrennial event took place at the Hawaii Convention Center from September 1-10 and was attended by over 6,000 participants from across the globe.