Outreach, Shoreline Living and Restoration

Green Shores Program

Nicole Faghin, Coastal Management Specialist

Each year Washington loses more of its natural shorelines to development and erosion-control structures such as bulkheads, seawalls and riprap. WSG is a partner in the development of Green Shores for Homes. Patterned after the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Green Shores for Homes is an incentive program for shorelines that is designed to advance sustainable coastal planning, design and development through practices such as wider setbacks, riparian buffers and stormwater management, which can protect critical functions and make later restoration actions unnecessary.

Green Shores for Homes will promote natural and soft shoreline development to minimize environmental impacts from hard shoreline armoring in a cost-effective manner. The program includes a credit rating system currently being developed by WSG in partnership with San Juan County, the City of Seattle, British Columbia’s Island Trust, and the Green Shores technical team.

WSG assists homeowners and other interested in learning about shoreline restoration and alternatives to conventional hard shoreline armoring.

 


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