Littoral Society Partners with NFWF and USFWS for Shoreline Restoration on Delaware Bay

The American Littoral Society is honored to be partnering with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on a Delaware Bayshore project that will restore habitat and protect surrounding communities.
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This grant is part of a larger $12.5 million initiative through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, designed to protect the water, wildlife, and communities that rely on the Delaware River watershed. Our project will focus on stabilizing the shoreline at the Kimbles Beach and Bay Cove Beach Complex near Cape May Courthouse, NJ.

Grants were also awarded to 30 partner-led projects across the four-state Delaware River watershed, leveraging nearly $17 million in matching funds for a total investment of $29.3 million in conservation. These strategic investments will restore vital habitats, improve water quality, strengthen community resilience to natural disasters, and expand public access to natural spaces throughout the region.

As part of this funding, the Littoral Society will undertake a beach restoration project to restore approximately one mile of critical beach habitat along the New Jersey portion of Delaware Bay, an area of global ecological importance for horseshoe crabs and migratory shorebirds. The work will include placing tons of sand on the beach in order to stabilize eroding shorelines, reverse habitat loss, and ensure the continued availability of spawning and foraging grounds essential to the survival of these species.

Beyond its ecological benefits, the Kimbles and Bay Cove restoration will also enhance coastal resilience for nearby communities. Stabilized beaches act as natural buffers against storms and sea-level rise, reducing flood risk and protecting homes, infrastructure, and local economies.

This dual focus—supporting wildlife while safeguarding people—reflects the broader goals of the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, which in 2025 will collectively open nearly 4,000 acres to public access, implement dynamic restoration across more than 11,000 acres of forestland, and restore wetlands and floodplains to improve water quality and mitigate flooding throughout the watershed.

The Delaware River watershed spans parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, encompassing one of the most densely populated regions in the nation while remaining nearly 50 percent forested. It supports millions of people who depend on the river and its tributaries for clean drinking water, recreation, and jobs, as well as hundreds of native fish and wildlife species.

The American Littoral Society is proud to contribute to this collaborative, watershed-wide effort and grateful to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NFWF, and funding partners for recognizing the importance of Delaware Bay beach restoration. Learn more about this round of funding from the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund.

To learn more about the American Littoral Society’s beach restoration work and its role in protecting horseshoe crab and shorebird habitat, visit: https://www.littoralsociety.org/beach-restoration.html.