Can Plants Hold Back the Tide?
When we think about protecting a coastline, we usually picture concrete seawalls, rock barriers and some very serious engineering. But across the country, communities are also turning to something deceptively simple: plants.
Rising sea levels, stronger storm surges and repeated flooding are accelerating erosion along portions of both the eastern and western coasts. In response, conservation groups are restoring wetlands, planting trees and creating “living shorelines” that work with nature rather than attempting to overpower it.
What is a Living Shoreline?
Unlike a traditional seawall, a living shoreline uses natural materials such as native plants, sand, stone and even oyster shells to stabilize the edge of the land.
As waves and floodwater reach the shoreline, plants absorb some of the water’s energy and their roots hold the soil in place. According to NOAA Fisheries, these shorelines can reduce erosion, filter runoff, store floodwater and create valuable wildlife habitat.
Even better, a living shoreline can become stronger as its plants mature and their root systems expand. Concrete cannot grow roots. Score one for the plants!
Photos from NOAA Fisheries
Maryland is Putting Down Roots
Maryland’s Eastern Shore is already experiencing aggressive flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion as water pushes farther inland. Instead of waiting to see what happens, local organizations are planting for the future.
Through the Roots for Resilience initiative, partners plan to establish 500 acres of habitat with Atlantic white cedar, shortleaf pine and bald cypress.
The project will also improve 1,000 acres of existing forest and restore 200 acres of tidal wetlands. These restored areas will help stabilize soil, improve water quality, store carbon and give coastal habitats somewhere to go as the shoreline changes. Marshes cannot exactly pack a suitcase and move inland, but given protected space, they can gradually migrate. That is long-term landscape planning on an enormous scale.
The West Coast is Joining In
California is also looking beyond concrete. Its nature-based strategies include restoring dunes, beaches, wetlands and other habitats that can absorb water and wave energy.
Of course, the Pacific Coast is not the Chesapeake Bay. Every shoreline has different waves, slopes, soils and development pressures, so every solution must be designed for its particular location. Apparently, “right plant, right place” still applies when the place is an entire coastline.
Photo from NOAA Fisheries
Why Not Just Build a Wall?
In some areas along the West Coast, erosion is already threatening homes, roads and buildings near unstable bluffs. But while hardened barriers may protect one location, they can reflect wave energy and sometimes shift the erosion problem farther down the shoreline.
Living shorelines can soften that impact while also filtering water and supporting wildlife. Some projects combine natural materials with engineered structures, allowing plants, rocks and human-made barriers to work together.
No one is claiming that a handful of grasses can stop the ocean. But healthy forests, wetlands, dunes and shorelines can give communities another valuable layer of protection.
Graphic from NOAA Fisheries
Landscaping On a Much Larger Scale
These projects may be happening hundreds to thousands of miles from Ohio, but the principle feels familiar: select plants suited to the conditions, protect the soil, manage water and plan for how the landscape will change over time.
Whether we are addressing drainage in a backyard or erosion along a coastline, plants are doing far more than making a space look beautiful. Their roots stabilize soil, filter water, support wildlife and help landscapes adapt.
Sometimes landscaping means designing a welcoming patio. Sometimes it means helping hold the entire shoreline together.
Need help picking plants to meet the needs of your landscaping? Our pros are ready to help you design a space that fits your exact needs. Take a look at our Design page.
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