November 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 35

Before (Top Image - July 26, 2017) and
After (Bottom Image - September 4, 2017)
looking north at the portion of Southern
Shores constructed.

So, what is meant by " healthy
coastline " ? Unfortunately, there is
no single answer since all coastlines
differ geologically and biologically.
For much of the United States, a
healthy coastline starts with a wide
beach where the sand matches the
composition of what would naturally be in the area. Grain size and color
can impact beach slope, temperature
and chemical composition, which in
turn impacts what micro fauna live
in the sand and, therefore, what wildlife is likely to be found on the beach.
A vegetated dune system is also
common and is particularly beneficial
in reducing risk from storm surge. Unlike a seawall, a dune can grow over
time, as vegetation traps wind-blown
sand and can " heal " itself from minor
damage during a storm. Behind the
beach/dune system, a healthy coastline may include back-bays, wetlands
and estuaries, which absorb an influx
of water (either from surge or from
river flood) and provide a land-water
interface that supports human and
wildlife needs.
A healthy coastline is more than
just a geologically and biologically
resilient coast. It has collaborative
management, regulation and funding across government sectors. Since
beaches provide local, regional and
national benefits, their restoration is
often funded through a combination
of local and federal tax dollars. The
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has
multiple roles in maintaining beaches.
It oversees federal permitting and regulations for all beach re-nourishment
projects and has been tasked by Congress to rebuild some beaches that
have a positive benefit-to-cost ratio for
the flood-risk reduction they provide.
For some beach projects, the town or
county, rather than the Army Corps,
leads the project. These towns will

often hire coastal consultants and/
or engineering firms to do the project
planning, engineering and design.

The Importance of
Engaged Stakeholders
Finally, a healthy coastline has engaged stakeholders (landowners, residents, businesses, academics, etc.)
who understand the challenges of
dynamic and populated coasts, actively plan for future conditions and
educate coastal users about how to
live with the coast - how individual
actions impact coastal conditions and
how coastal conditions can impact
lives. Communities that understand
a beach and dune system will reduce
risk but cannot provide guaranteed
protection have plans for how and
when to rebuild after a storm. They
also understand how sea-level rise
and increasing storm intensity will inevitably change their beach and community, and they will be far more resilient than disengaged communities.
ASBPA is a national organization
of beach and coastal " practitioners "
- the engineers and scientists who
specialize in beach restoration and
the managers, planners and policymakers whose focus is maintaining
healthy coastlines. We advance the
science and policy solutions that
will improve America's beaches and
coastlines, advocating for coastal
research funding, federal and local
funding for beach restoration and
maintenance, regional planning and
regulatory frameworks that allow for
restoration to happen quickly and
efficiently. We are more narrowly
focused on coastal resources than
NRPA, but our vision for using beach
parks and " natural infrastructure " to
enhance community resilience while
supporting public access and recreation values are closely aligned.

ASBPA is also proud to honor a
handful of beaches with a " Best Restored Beach " award every year. We
believe it's important to recognize
beaches that have been successfully
restored with the goals of risk reduction, ecological health, economic
viability and recreation, with a community engaged in the restoration
process. As our nation moves forward into an era of rising seas and
extreme weather, America's " Best
Restored Beaches " are some of the
nation's best examples of community coastal resilience projects.
Find out more about American
Shore & Beach Preservation Association at www.asbpa.org; find out how
to nominate your coastal or beach park
for a " Best Restored Beach " award at:
www.asbpa.org/awards.
Detailed references for this article can
be found at www.nrpa.org/parks-rec
reation-magazine/2018/November/
Beaches-as-Coastal-Resilience.
Derek Brockbank is the Executive Director for the
American Shore & Beach Preservation Association
(derek.brockbank@asbpa.org).

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Parks & Recreation

November 2018 - Parks & Recreation

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