Green Shores | Case Studies
↪ Green Shores for Homes Project
Project Overview
| Location: Town of Qualicum Beach, British Columbia | Project area: .23 ha |
| Year completed: 2022 | Awards: NA |
| Shoreline length: 46 m | Shore type: Marine, Cobble with small areas of finer sediment |
| Green Shores rating achieved: GOLD | Total points: 54 |
Site Description
The property includes two adjacent shoreline lots with a moderate profile and an intertidal area of approximately 200 m2. Sediment is a mixture of small to medium-sized cobble, with areas of smaller sediment found in the depositional zones. There are several hard armour segments, including walls constructed from concrete and logs and riprap, along this area of shoreline. Prevailing winds are off the Strait of Georgia from the SE and NW. Fetch is significant for this site from the SE; some protection from the NW is provided by Hornby and Denman Islands.
The site is located within the Parksville Qualicum Wildlife Management Area, and there is abundant use of the foreshore by waterfowl. The estuary of the Little Qualicum River is located approximately 2 km to the west of the property, and this supports all five salmonid species, including chum, coho, chinook, pink, and sockeye salmon (including kokanee); trout species, including brown, bull, rainbow, steelhead, cutthroat, and dolly varden; bass/sunfish, lamprey, and three spine stickleback. The upland residential area has been developed with lawn. Four mature Douglas fir trees were retained on the two outer edges of the two lots.
Project Team and Affiliated Organizations
Project Lead and Coastal Engineer: Northwest Hydraulic Consultants (NHC)
Foreshore construction and native plant installation: Parksville Heavy Equipment
Design Build and House Movers: Barone Construction and Nickel Brothers
Environmental Impact Assessment: Aquaparian Environmental Consulting Ltd.
Native Plant Supplier: Streamside Nursery
Project Objectives
- Bury the concrete bulkhead, install three foreshore headlands, and restore the foreshore with natural materials and native vegetation to stabilize against erosion and create shoreline habitat.
- Provide beach nourishment, revegetation, and habitat protection.
Work Plan
The homeowner had planned to move the two existing houses (circa 1970s) off the property with a sea barge, but tidal conditions precluded this option. One of the two houses was salvaged through lifting and movement back and diagonal to the most southerly location on the property as a form of managed retreat. On the adjacent lot, however, the owner planned a new build.
For both lots, the owner wanted to mitigate the risk of erosion and flooding, evident by extensive scouring at the base of the failing seawall. This old concrete bulkhead significantly impacted shoreline function by interrupting sediment transport and water movement along the shoreline and restricting fauna movement between the foreshore and the upland. The homeowner noted that more intense storms and higher tides were causing more shoreline damage.
Site conditions in this area include abundant hard armouring on adjacent shoreline properties, significant fetch, and potential for sea level rise and storm surge, all requiring an innovative coastal engineered hybrid design. Utilizing large woody debris and installing native plants were also incorporated into the shoreline protection design, creating protection against wave energy, microhabitat for flora and fauna, increased aesthetic appeal and improved beach access.
Description of how the project meets Green Shores Principles
Maintained/Enhanced Habitat Function and Diversity
- Approximately 46 m of riparian length was restored by removing invasives like blackberry and planting with native species, including dune grass, beach pea, gumweed, and Nootka rose. Other restoration materials utilized included beach rock and woody materials of varied sizes and diameters. These were used to create microsites for native vegetation establishment and habitat for shoreline invertebrates.
- Restoration of the riparian and foreshore through burial of the seawall and installation of beach nourishment. These provide habitat for forage fish and reduce the potential impact of coastal squeeze.
- Large overhanging Douglas-fir trees were retained, providing food sources from fallen leaf material and insects and perching habitat for raptors such as Bald Eagles.
Preserved/Restored Shoreline Physical Processes
- A concrete bulkhead was buried along most of the two-lot shoreline, restoring sediment processes, including deposition. Some riprap was required at each end to tie into existing hard armour segments on adjacent properties.
- Three headlands in the foreshore were constructed with extensive interstitial spaces to allow wave energy to be dissipated.
- Large woody material was not abundant at the project’s commencement. Still, some were retained and used on the foreshore to provide additional wave energy dissipation, and some have been recruited through storm activity.
Ecological Services Provided
- Habitat and food sources for shoreline invertebrates were provided through the utilization of large woody debris, planting of native vegetation and retention of overhanging vegetation. Potential for forage fish habitat was created through the addition of beach nourishment.
Shoreline Collaboration/Public Education
- This homeowner’s project aligns with the 2016 Waterfront Master Plan Initiative Waterfront Master Plan (qualicumbeach.com) by the Town of Qualicum Beach, and communications regarding the successful outcomes of this Higson Crescent Green Shores restoration project have further supported the initiative’s objectives. Informal discussions have been undertaken with some receptive neighbours. Plans for public outreach signage are underway, with delivery planned for summer 2024. These will advance the best practices and objectives of Green Shores and showcase the innovative function and features of the hybrid shoreline protection design. Public access and enjoyment of this shoreline area have been improved, and observations of wildlife use on the headlands have been noted.
