Molega Lake

At Molega Lake, the shoreline told a familiar story. Years earlier, infilling and armouring had reshaped the land by burying natural substrate, removing habitat, and destroying habitat for at-risk species.

Only 4 years earlier, the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute had recorded Redroot (an at-risk ACPF species) on-site. Now, it had completely disappeared. Endangered reptiles also could be found in the area, but the clay fill and rock wall wasn’t being used as nesting habitat since there were more suitable sites elsewhere on the lake.

In the summer of 2025, restoration began on the Molega Lake project. CB Wetlands and Environmental Specialists (CBWES) collected the background data and designed the project and their Rising Tide Nursery supplied the majority of the native plant species that were planted onsite. TransCoastal Adaptations staff supported CBWES on the project.

To address prior destruction of ACPF habitat, Manzer Brothers Excavation & Landworks removed over 76 cubic meters of infill to re-expose much of the natural substrate.

The rock wall was dismantled, and the rocks were placed throughout the riparian zone in a manner that reflected the neighbouring natural shoreline.

Over 322 native grasses, rushes, flowering perennials, and ACPF shrubs were planted in the riparian zone. Due to this summer’s severe to extreme drought conditions, water levels were far lower than usual, and plants were stressed. The team adapted in real time, incorporating additional watering and care to ensure the plants survived.

By the end of the season, a remarkable 150 square metres of habitat had been restored! The shoreline could once again function as a living system, supporting rare plants, fluctuating lake levels, and at-risk reptiles.

Kingsburg Beach

On Kingsburg Beach, the challenge was different. Here, the coastal dune system had minimal disturbance. However, we were starting to see some storm erosion and compaction from vehicle traffic on the dunes. The habitat is critical for foraging Piping Plovers and Bank Swallows and had been designated as a protected beach by the provincial Department of Natural Resources. Here, the goal was to work with the system and guide human behaviour to better support it.

The Kingsburg Beach project was implemented in early September of 2025. Helping Nature Heal Ltd. (HNH) designed the project across multiple properties across the beach. HNH supplied the grasses, shrubs, and organic material (wattle fence stakes, veggie groyne, Abundance fertilizer) for the installation.

Rather than restoring a destroyed habitat, the alterations to this system were mainly to adjust human behaviour to better protect the dune system. A wattle fence made of alder stakes and branches dissected a right of way on the property to only allow for pedestrian traffic. The right of way had originally been the width of a large vehicle, allowing vehicles to drive onto the beach and compress the ground below. Shrubs were planted on the restored part of the right of way in an effort to release some of that compaction.

Our team also removed invasive roses on the dunes, installed a sand capture technique called a “veggie groyne,” and planted dune grasses. These efforts will support natural dune rebuilding after storm erosion from the prior year.

However, the team didn’t end up planting as many dune grasses as we anticipated because the dune was already building itself back up quite well — a testament to how resilient the ecosystem already was.

Green Shores Ratings

Both projects achieved a gold rating through the Green Shores for Homes program! Below is a table of the credits that shows which credits each project received points under.

A Shared Outcome

Beyond the rating, these projects tell a larger story. They show that nature-based solutions are not one-size-fits-all. Sometimes, restoration means removing years of damage. Other times, it means stepping back and gently redirecting human impact. In both cases, success comes from understanding the system—and working with it, not against it.

As more communities across Atlantic Canada look toward climate adaptation, these projects offer a hopeful path forward: one rooted in restoration, stewardship, and respect for the landscapes that sustain us. For more in-depth detail, stay tuned for the release of our case studies, which include costs, drawings, construction details, point breakdowns, and more!

Check out the Green Shores website for more details.