Natural Infrastructure Report How natural infrastructure can shape a more resilient coast for birds and for people JANUARY 2018 Willet. Photo: Preeti Desai/Audubon CONTENTS NATURAL 4 California 5 Florida INFRASTRUCTURE 6 Louisiana 7 Maryland –DC REPORT 8 North Carolina How natural infrastructure can shape a more 9 South Carolina resilient coast for birds and for people 10 Texas The stakes for coastal conservation have increasing number of billion dollar disaster Audubon works at over 1,000 sites never been higher. Burgeoning coastal events —from 1980-2017 there were 5.8 across all our coasts. At some of these development and population, along with events per year, but from 2013-2017, there sites, we are pioneering efforts to tackle increasingly frequent and severe storms were 11.6. extreme weather events and sea level due to climate change, are putting birds rise for birds and people through natural and communities at grave risk. Combined, Natural infrastructure can help infrastructure projects. Natural infrastruc- Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate communities prepare and recover from ture enhances coastal resiliency, creates caused over 200 deaths, an estimated extreme coastal events, by buffering necessary habitats for birds and other $330-630 billion in damages, evacua- storm damage, absorbing flood waters, wildlife, and safeguards the robust coast- tion of millions of people, and extreme and providing a front line of defense al economy. Coastal regions provide 40% habitat loss. The U.S. has experienced an from storms. of US employment, support more than THE COST AND FREQUENCY OF BILLION DOLLAR DISASTERS HAS INCREASED IN THE U.S. Credit: NOAA Natural Infrastructure Report | January 2018 | 2 69 million jobs, and generate half of the Federal investment in natural infrastruc- preparedness of coastal communities. nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Coastal ture will help increase preparedness of Natural infrastructure solutions need to be restoration creates 30 jobs for each million coastal communities and economies, supported as part of the recovery efforts dollars invested. Additionally, natural while benefitting fish and wildlife, which after natural disasters so we build back infrastructure helps decrease the costs of also often provide a critical foundation communities to be stronger and better natural disaster damage. for coastal economies. prepared for future storms. This report highlights some of Audubon’s efforts that ■ Studies show that a 2.5-acre Audubon works closely with our partners help tackle both near- and long-term decrease in wetlands corresponds across the federal government on natural threats confronting wildlife and their to a $33,000 increase in storm infrastructure and restoration projects, habitats while benefiting and sustaining damages. including the Department of Agriculture, healthy coastal communities. Natural Resources Conservation Service; ■ In the Chesapeake Bay, for every Department of Commerce, National dollar spent constructing living Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; shorelines, up to $1.75 is returned to Department of Defense, Army Corps of the economy. Engineers; Department of the Interior, Fish ■ New Jersey’s freshwater wetlands and Wildlife Service; and the Environmen- on average save $3 billion per year tal Protection Agency. It is critical that in avoided losses from floods, storm these programs receive adequate fund- surges, and other disturbances. ing to decrease future risks and increase Natural Infrastructure Report | January 2018 | 3 Aramburu Island shoreline protection and ecological enhancement project Timeline: 2011-2018 Location: Richardson Bay, Tiburon, California Partners: Marin County, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Costs: $1.1 million Funding Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The project was constructed in 2011 and provided jobs for construction and techni- cal staff to complete the work. It increased coastal resiliency by stabilizing the eroding shoreline through introduction of cobble View from the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary. materials and enhancement of habitats Photo: John Takekawa, Director of San Francisco Bay Programs, Audubon California which resulted in an increased use by populations of waterbirds, including nesting Aramburu Island is located adjacent to enhance the natural resource value of the Black Oystercatchers. It provided flood and Richardson Bay Audubon Center and area. The project goals include: erosion protection for nearby homes along Sanctuary, along the shoreline in the 1) reducing erosion of the eastern shore- the shoreline, and it served as one of the northwest region of Richardson Bay, line; 2) creating wetland and terrestrial only models for shoreline enhancement in south of San Francisco Bay. It was origi- habitats to support a range of target San Francisco Bay. Ongoing monitoring in- nally created from fill material as part of species and natural communities; and 3) cludes examining waterbird and invertebrate the Strawberry Spit, but it was converted providing a platform for enhancing resil- response and oyster restoration. into a 17-acre island in 1987 as wildlife ience to sea-level rise. habitat mitigation for development of the southern portion of the spit. Prior to Project Benefits: restoration, the island was degraded by San Francisco Bay is a highly urbanized area shoreline erosion and non-native plant col- that is home to more than 7 million people. onization. The site was designated as an It also supports diverse natural communities open space area under the Marin County dependent on conserving healthy ecosys- General Plan. tems in the baylands between the open water to the upland extent of tidal influence. The Aramburu Island Shoreline Protection The bayland ecosystems are comprised and Ecological Enhancement Project was of an interconnected mosaic of habitats, funded through recovery efforts from the including the living shorelines at the edge of 2007 Cosco Busan Oil Spill. The project the bay that provide support of ecological was initiated in 2011 by Audubon California functions for numerous species. Islands and Audubon employees and volunteers complete working in partnership with Marin County beaches provide critical ecological functions, ongoing monitoring projects. Department of Parks and Open Space to including providing food or cover for birds. Photo: John Takekawa, Audubon Natural Infrastructure Report | January 2018 | 4 Erosion control breakwater reef at Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary The Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Sanctu- breakwaters. This is an important site Timeline: 2011-TBD ary is comprised of two islands in Tam- for rare Diamondback Terrapins. Recovery Location: Hillsborough Bay, Tampa Bay, pa’s Hillsborough Bay, leased from and of this species on public lands and private Florida at the mouth of the Alafia River managed in collaboration with The Mosaic preserves like this one will help reduce Partners: The Mosaic Company, Port Company and Port Tampa Bay. This Glob- any potential regulatory burden on Tampa Bay, Living Shoreline Solutions, ally Important Bird Area supports more private landowners that would result Reef Innovations than 13,000 nesting pairs of 18 shore- from their listing. Costs: $2.1 million bird, seabird, and wading bird species. Funding Sources: National Fish and Storm-driven waves and increasingly large Project Benefits: Wildlife Foundation, Environmental ship wakes over the years have caused In 2016, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Protection Commission of Hillsborough substantial erosion, washing away the Conservation Commission created 13 new County, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, sandy shoreline and toppling trees into and expanded 5 existing Critical Wildlife Living Shorelines Solutions, Reef the water. Audubon works with the Mosaic Areas, essential for the survival of the Innovations, Coastal Resources Group, Company and Port Tampa Bay to add onto state’s waterbirds. These designations Tampa Audubon Society, the Mosaic the successful existing breakwater oyster allow for the posting of no-entry, in-water Foundation, and many donors to Audubon reef habitat, which intercepts onshore buffers to protect these vulnerable areas wave and wake energy from storms and from disturbance. Alafia Bank was granted shipping traffic in Tampa Bay, a major a year-round closure with a buffer, and is viewing in Florida generates more than port. In addition to ongoing erosion, Hurri- among the most important of this network $5 billion per year in economic impact, cane Irma caused damage to the sanctu- of sites crucial to the survival of these from domestic visitors alone. Alafia Bank ary where breakwater structures had not species in Florida. is responsible for fledging a substantial been installed. The Alafia Bank continues number of the most sought-after species to experience rapid loss of critical habitat Erosion control at Alafia Bank provides in the region for birdwatchers, including along the northern shoreline not protected many jobs and is beneficial to Florida’s Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill and by offshore breakwaters. Events like Hur- economy. Each phase has required the American Oystercatcher. The breakwater ricane Irma exacerbate and accelerate this subcontracting of private engineering ser- also provides important reef and essential process and will continue to do so until vices, wave attenuation device fabrication, fish habitat and has become a destination the breakwater array is completed. barge rental and placement staff. Wildlife for recreational and