Littoral Society Advances Major Marsh Restoration at Mouth of Maurice River with NJDEP Natural Climate Solutions Funding

Hybrid breakwaters and sediment-capture barriers will restore marsh habitat, reduce storm risk, and strengthen protection for Delaware Bayshore communities

The American Littoral Society is advancing marsh restoration at the mouth of the Maurice River with new support from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection through the Natural Climate Solutions Program. Announced on Earth Day, the investment highlights how New Jersey is turning climate funding into on-the-ground projects that protect both communities and ecosystems.
 
The announcement was made during an Earth Day award ceremony in Point Pleasant, where Society staff joined partners from across the state and met with NJDEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak to recognize new investments in nature-based resilience projects statewide.
 
This phase of work will restore 13 acres of marsh directly while helping stabilize conditions needed to recover more than 375 acres of degraded marsh that protect communities along the Delaware Bayshore. By reducing wave energy and capturing sediment, the hybrid breakwater system rebuilds marsh elevation and strengthens the landscape’s ability to buffer storms, support fisheries, and store carbon. In a state surrounded by water, restoring marsh systems like these is one of the most effective ways to reduce coastal risk.

Littoral Society staff joined NJDEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak (center) at the Earth Day award ceremony in Point Pleasant, NJ. From Left to Right: Zack Royle, Habitat Restoration Manager; Danielle McCulloch, Littoral Society Executive Director, Ed Potosnak; Shane Godshall, acting Restoration Program Director; Julie Schumacher, Habitat Restoration Coordinator; and Kerstin Axe, Restoration Technician.

Projects like this move resilience from planning into construction. The Natural Climate Solutions Program enabling large-scale implementation that protects communities, working waterfronts, and critical habitat while strengthening one of the Delaware Bayshore’s most important natural protection systems.
 
Shane Godshall, Habitat Restoration Program lead on the project, said the investment “demonstrates the state's ongoing commitment to Delaware Bayshore communities and recognizes their contributions to South Jersey’s economy and culture. The project will directly benefit these communities by combating climate change and providing protection from open-bay conditions.”
 
Completing a critical line of protection
This phase extends the hybrid breakwater system across Northwest Reach, creating a continuous line of protection that reduces wave energy and allows sediment to settle and marsh elevations to recover over time.
 
Low-profile breakwaters and permeable sediment barriers are designed to work with natural tidal processes to capture suspended sediment and gradually raise marsh surfaces into the elevation range needed for healthy salt marsh vegetation. As elevations recover, marsh plants return, carbon storage increases, habitat improves for fish and coastal wildlife, and nearby communities gain stronger protection from storms. Techniques used at Northwest Reach will help inform restoration strategies across the Delaware Bayshore and other vulnerable coastal areas in New Jersey.
 
By combining engineered stability with natural sediment movement, the project strengthens shorelines in a way that is cost-effective and adaptable to changing conditions.
 
Supporting communities, habitat, and working waterfronts
Marsh restoration at the mouth of the Maurice River provides benefits well beyond carbion sequestration. Along the Delaware Bayshore, marshes reduce flooding, protect port infrastructure and working waterfronts, support fisheries, and sustain globally important habitat for shorebirds and horseshoe crabs.
 
During Hurricane Sandy, marsh systems like these reduced wave heights by as much as 80 percent in some locations. Restoring and protecting them now helps ensure they continue providing that level of protection in the future.
 
The project also contributes to long-term climate goals by increasing carbon sequestration and preventing the release of stored carbon from eroding marsh soils.
 
Advancing innovation in nature-based shoreline protection
A defining feature of this phase is the installation of permeable barrier systems designed to accelerate marsh elevation recovery by working with natural sediment movement. These techniques expand the set of tools available for restoring vulnerable coastal landscapes across the Delaware Bayshore and throughout New Jersey.
 
This work is being carried out in partnership with the Stockton University Coastal Research Center, Wildlife Restoration Partnerships, New Jersey Fish and Wildlife, and local Bayshore leaders, including the Bayshore Council. Together, these partners are helping translate public investment into measurable protection for communities and ecosystems.

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Capt. Al Modjeski, former Habitat Restoration Program Director for the American Littoral Society.

Continuing a legacy of restoration leadership
This phase reflects the vision of Capt. Al Modjeski, whose leadership helped shape nature-based shoreline protection efforts throughout New Jersey. His commitment to creative, collaborative solutions continues to guide the Society’s restoration work today.
 
Through continued partnership with NJDEP’s Natural Climate Solutions Program, the American Littoral Society is helping ensure that New Jersey’s coast remains strong, productive, and resilient for generations to come. ​

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