Green Shores | Why Use It?
Human impact on shorelines
Both freshwater and marine shorelines provide work, recreation, living spaces and wonderful views. Their diverse habitats are often biologically rich and productive places.
Unfortunately, many human activities often harm these valuable natural features:
- Native trees, shrubs and grasses are cleared to make way for buildings, landscaping and views.
- Bulkheads, docks and piers displace beaches and erode sediments below the water line.
- Removal of shoreline vegetation allows contaminants to flow directly into the water.
- When prime wildlife habitats disappear, so do the birds, mammals, fish and beneficial insects and fish.
Why use Green Shores?
New strategies such as Green Shores help protect waterfront properties while also protecting and restoring habitats.
Benefits of Green Shores:
- Makes shorelines accessible, eliminating drop-offs and walls.
- Beautifies shorelines, adding native vegetation, wildlife habitat and access to waterfront shorelines and activities.
- Makes shorelines more secure against erosion and flooding, providing an alternative to costly sea walls.
- Provides a wide range benefits similar to the model of the popular LEED for Homes, BuiltGreen, and Sustainable Sites programs.
The BC government and community leaders are working to develop adaptive and innovative solutions to climate change and sea-level rise.
Learn more about this initiative and how it integrates the Green Shores initiative.
Green Shores protects against rising sea levels (see example design). And it can be used on a variety of shoreline types.
