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COASTAL RESTORATION
Louisiana used 13 million pounds of discarded oyster shells to build 8,000 feet of living shoreline; studies found oyster reefs can reduce wave heights under some conditionsIn Louisiana, discarded oyster shells are being creatively transformed into living shorelines to combat coastal erosion and rising sea leve...- In 1772, Benjamin Franklin sent Chinese tallow seeds to Savannah, Georgia; the government planted more along the Gulf in 1900, and the tree now covers 185,000 hectaresIn the late 1700s, a shipment of 1772 seeds sparked a significant invasion of non-native trees across southern U.S. forests. The federal pl...
- Kumar Sangakkara’s Galle Fort Home: How the cricket legend transformed a 120-year-old villa without losing its heritage charmCricket icon Kumar Sangakkara and his spouse have revitalized a crumbling villa in Galle Fort, marrying historical charm with modern aesthe...
- The Savannah River swapped bare marsh edge for oyster reefs in 2023; wave energy fell by up to 40%, giving Georgia coasts a tougher storm shieldScientists built oyster reefs in Georgia's Savannah River to reduce wave energy. These reefs lessened wave impact on the shoreline by as mu...
- In 2021, Alabama started turning discarded Christmas trees into sand dunes: How old festive trees are now helping protect Gulf Coast beachesChristmas trees that were once the focal point of holiday celebrations are now playing a vital role in rebuilding sand dunes along Alabama'...
- In 2025, Miami sank 22 concrete cars beneath the Atlantic; what looks like an underwater traffic jam is actually a giant artificial reef for 2,200 coralsBeneath the waves off Miami Beach, a striking collection of 22 concrete cars lies submerged, serving as artificial reefs that support coral...
- In 2006, volunteers lowered a stripped Boeing 737 into the Pacific; 20 years later, the jet has become a cold-water artificial reefA retired Boeing 737 now rests on the seafloor off Vancouver Island. This aircraft was transformed into an artificial reef by Canada. The X...
- In the 1980s, the richest closed-canopy mangroves covered 77,643 sq km globally. 43 years later, they had grown to 88,772 sq km, helping turn decades of mangrove loss into a net global gainMangroves are far more than trees growing along tropical and subtropical shorelines. They form complex coastal ecosystems that provide habi...
- In 2021, Cyprus submerged 93 sculptures to create an underwater forest; concrete trees rise from the seabed at different depthsAn underwater sculpture park in Cyprus offers a unique habitat for marine life. This art installation, MUSAN, features concrete figures and...
- In 1964, Jane Sewall bought the abandoned Maine island she had dreamed of since childhood; 22 years later, she gave it away to keep it wild foreverJane Sewall's childhood dream came true when she purchased Witch Island near South Bristol, Maine. In a generous move, she donated it in tw...
- In 1982, Delaware’s former tanker was built for a life at sea carrying oil. 44 years later, the vessel was deliberately sunk off Delaware’s coast, beginning a second life as an artificial reef for marine speciesThe Calcasieu Pass vessel, constructed in 1982 for oil operations, has made a remarkable transition to become a key component of Delaware's...
- In 2014, California buried an abandoned airfield under 5.8 million cubic yards of harbor mud, then opened 998 acres to the tidesOnce serving as a military airfield, a site in Marin County, California, has evolved into a vibrant wetland. Engineers meticulously utilize...
- In 2006, engineers reused 250,000 cubic yards of dredged sand to restore Elders Point East in Jamaica Bay. 10 years later, the approach had restored 40 acres of wetlands and helped reverse marsh-island erosionA New York Harbor dredging project became an opportunity to restore Jamaica Bay’s declining marsh islands. Beginning in 2006, the U.S. Army...
- Tech billionaires Jack and Laura Dangermond donated $165 million to protect a stunning 24,000-acre stretch of California coastline visible from spaceJack and Laura Dangermond have made a monumental donation of $165 million to The Nature Conservancy, ensuring the permanent protection of t...
- Since 2016, Alabama has recovered more than 22.6 million discarded oyster shells; the restaurant waste is being returned to coastal waters to help build reefsIn Alabama, restaurants are making waves by recycling oyster shells to bolster crucial reef restoration efforts. These once-discarded shell...
- In 2001, Denmark turned a 19-km straight river into a 26-km winding one, but decades later researchers found nature was still struggling to rebuild what humans had destroyedDenmark's Skjern River restoration has skillfully reshaped a once-straight channel back into a meandering waterway. This innovative initiat...
- 2 New Orleans students crushed millions of discarded bottles into recycled glass sand to fight coastal erosion; the result transformed Louisiana's sinking marshes by anchoring new grass and helping rebuild one of America's most vulnerable coastlinesTwo New Orleans students saw a problem hiding in plain sight: discarded glass had little practical recycling value in their city, while Lou...
- In 1990, U.S. conservationists repurposed thousands of discarded Christmas trees to slow coastal erosion. Thirty-six years later, the unusual experiment produced thriving wetlands, healthier wildlife habitats, and stronger natural defenses against stormsHow Recycled Christmas Trees Are Saving Louisiana’s Coastline: Louisiana has lost over 2,000 square miles of coastline since the 1930s. But...
- Meet South Florida teenager Theo Quenee who turned his rooftop into a mangrove nursery after Hurricane IrmaHurricane Irma's devastation prompted Theo Quenee to rescue hundreds of mangrove seedlings. He transformed his home's roof into a nursery, ...
- Louisiana's decades-old Christmas tree recycling program is quietly helping restore thousands of acres of wetlandsDiscarded Christmas trees are now rebuilding Louisiana's eroding coastlines. These trees are bundled and flown by helicopter into fragile m...
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