Coastal Dunes for Resilience Workshop Recap
On December 8th and 9th, 2021, the California Dune Science Network hosted its first Coastal Dunes for Resiliency Workshop. Serving on the Dune Network Advisory Team, USC Sea Grant assisted in developing the workshop and participated on a panel at the event. The workshop had nearly 200 registered participants, bringing together a variety of different perspectives to share lessons learned from current dune research and nature-based projects. The workshop provided an opportunity for practitioners to network, feature case studies, and participate in breakout discussions on dune restoration topics like establishing project goals and monitoring programs, social and economic considerations, dune engineering and implementation techniques, and how to leverage pilot projects to scale up.
The workshop recordings are available to watch here.
The California Dune Science Network, led by California Sea Grant, also launched a website, https://www.resilientcoastlines.com/, that features several case studies of dune restoration projects implemented and in planning throughout the state. The website features an inventory of resources to help practitioners learn about planning, implementing, and monitoring coastal dune restoration projects.
In Los Angeles County alone, there are several pilot projects being implemented to evaluate how restored dunes can increase the resilience of the coastline by restoring natural functions of sandy beach habitat. Just this month, the City of Manhattan Beach, The Bay Foundation, and several partners kicked off dune restoration efforts along the coastline. This dune project, like several others along the coast, aligns with sea level rise planning and adaptation efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of nature-based adaptation strategies. USC Sea Grant has worked closely with the City of Manhattan Beach to further sea level rise planning and adaptation through their Climate Ready MB program. If you are interested in helping with on-the-ground dune restoration efforts in Manhattan Beach, check out the project website for opportunities and to register.
