Why Rebuilding Wetlands Provides Better Shoreline Protection Than A Wall

Are you concerned about protecting your shoreline in the event of a major storm? Many so-called wetland management experts may try to sell you on building a wall. But a slew of recent studies, based on actual events, have given the lie to this idea. In the long run, wetland restoration is a far superior idea.

Instead of Building Walls, it's Time to Restore Wetlands

One of the best arguments against wall building came into being in August 2011. This was the time Hurricane Irene touched down in North Carolina. The storm itself dumped bucket loads of rain on to the Outer Banks. But this was far from the worst damage that the storm brought in its wake.

Irene's fury resulted in surging waves three meters high. These waves cracked through the storm walls that were supposed to protect the mainland. In the process, a number of nearby roads, 1,100 homes, and plenty of other landmarks were wiped off the map. The wall that had been built to protect the coast turned out to be less than useless.

Wetland Management is the Key to Safe Shorelines

A number of scientists researching the results of the storm came upon a very interesting conclusion. In the end, it turns out that shore walls are simply not a viable long term solution to prevent damage from major hurricanes and floods. But they did manage to discover a solution that is may be far more workable in the long term.

Shoreline walls are, on average, about six and a half feet tall. Made of supposedly long lasting concrete, they form the standard line of defense against seaborne storms and other disasters. However, breaches in the bulwarks has been a common finding in many of these walls after a major storm has touched down.

But, after Irene, it was discovered that the shorelines of the marsh areas were intact. In fact, it was ascertained that these marsh areas, extending from 30 to 130 feet back from the shore, had lost none of their sediment or elevation.

It is true that the fallout from Irene did result in a loss of vegetation density of nearly a third. However, within a year, this density was restored and, in some places, healthier and lusher than ever before.

If You Want to Protect Your Shoreline, Restore Your Wetlands

The aftermath of the Irene incident serves to confirm what experts have been saying all along. Walls are not the key to protecting coastal shorelines or their neighboring inland areas. If you want to keep your community safe, your best bet will be to begin practicing the proper amount of wetland management techniques.

These are techniques that could potentially save an area from having to experience the worst that a huge hurricane or flooding incident can bring. They are the best way to ensure a lush and healthy shoreline both before and after such an event.

The Time to Restore Your Wetland Shore is Now

If you are serious about getting state of the art wetland management services, the time to do so is now. You don't want to wait until the next major storm. By this time, it may be too late to do anything to stave off a major scale disaster. The time to get ready to meet the challenge of a hurricane or flood is now.

You can start by giving Crosscreek Environmental a call. You can reach us via phone at 941-479-7811. You can also email us at admin@crosscreekenv.com. If you have any questions about pricing for our services, you can direct them to our special Pricing Request Form.