Summary of living shoreline research to inform regulatory decision-making in South Carolina

Abstract

Coastal marsh habitats are at risk due to sea level rise, increased storm intensity, coastline development, and shoreline hardening. Living shorelines are a powerful tool to proactively protect estuarine shorelines. The results and guidance contained herein are intended to provide the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management with the science-based information for creating a regulatory pathway and developing project standards for living shorelines in South Carolina. This document will be updated as the science continues to develop, particularly with continued monitoring as living shorelines age.