Oyster reefs safeguard Apalachicola's vulnerable shoreline 

Image: Will Mather

The Apalachee Regional Planning Council (ARPC) and WSP USA have started a nature-based project in an effort to stop persistent erosion and safeguard crucial infrastructure along the exposed coastline of Apalachicola Bay. The project aims to create up to 20 acres of engineered oyster reefs and up to 30 acres of salt marshes, providing a sustainable solution to attenuate wave action and safeguard the coastline.

The target area of the project is a six-mile segment of Highway 98 that runs alongside Apalachicola Bay. This section of shoreline has consistently experienced erosion due to rising tides, strong wave energy, and severe storms, which pose a serious threat to both the coastline and the nearby roadway infrastructure. Recognising the importance of Highway 98 as a designated hurricane evacuation route, previous efforts to protect the roadway involved various forms of man-made armoring. However, these attempts proved ineffective in the face of relentless wave damage. Unlike natural habitats, such as oyster reefs and salt marshes, human-made armour is unable to repair itself after being damaged by waves.

In response to this challenge, ARPC and WSP USA have taken a different approach by implementing a living shoreline project. The nature-based solution involves establishing an intertidal marsh and reintroducing oyster reefs to attenuate wave energy naturally. By leveraging the restorative power of nature, the project aims to not only protect the shoreline and critical infrastructure but also revive the oyster fishery, which has experienced a significant decline in recent years.

WSP USA, in collaboration with ARPC, played a crucial role in the development of the project concept and securing grant funding. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Emergency Coastal Resilience Fund and Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund programmes have provided the necessary financial support. WSP's involvement extends beyond the initial stages, as they are responsible for conducting coastal conditions analysis, gathering field data, and providing design, construction support, and monitoring services until 2024.
Intended outcomes

The project provides added protection to Highway 98, a critical disaster evacuation route, as well as primary access to education, jobs, and services for area residents and for emergency services vehicles to reach residents. Environmental benefits are numerous; the establishment of the saltmarsh habitat supports carbon sequestration. Saltmarshes absorb and store large quantities of carbon dioxide, which contributes to the effects of climate change.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: "Mangroves and salt marshes remove carbon from the atmosphere at a rate 10 times greater than tropical forests" and "store three to five times more carbon per acre than tropical forests." Additionally, the engineered oyster reef system establishes a foundation for the oyster population to proliferate and build resilience to wave action and storm surge. The oysters also clean the water and serve as a food source, while the salt marshes provide habitat for birds, fish, crabs, and other species. Local communities will benefit from increased resilience of the shoreline and adjacent critical infrastructure, ecological uplift provided by the improved marine habitat, environmental co-benefits of improved water quality and biodiversity, and the economic benefits of a restored oyster fishery.

This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Apalachee Regional Planning Council, WSP, and the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructures (ICSI). With a direct beneficiary count of over 12,500 people, the project demonstrates the potential of nature-based solutions to address coastal challenges while fostering ecological restoration and community resilience.