Neptune LIving Shoreline Project Receives TLC With Help from Students and Volunteers

A few weeks ago, a living shoreline project that is already paying dividends got some TLC in the form of additional sand and new coconut fiber logs.

On Wednesday, October 16, a group of dedicated volunteers, including 12 students from Kean University, two hardworking community members, and Danielle McCulloch from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, joined forces with the American Littoral Society to continue restoration efforts at the South Riverside Drive Living Shoreline Project in Neptune, NJ. This crucial project, which began in 2022, is designed to protect the local community from storm surges, reduce flooding, and create vital habitat for wildlife.

The event brought together restoration practitioners and volunteers to install 50 new coir logs (made of braided coconut fiber) along the living shoreline. The work involved positioning these logs near the waterline and staking them in place. Volunteers also added approximately 100 cubic yards of sand to the area, which will help stabilize the shoreline and enhance the living shoreline’s ability to absorb wave energy.

The continued work of this project is due to the collaboration of several partners, including Neptune Township, the Neptune Department of Public Works, New Jersey Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, Avakian Engineers, N&S Equipment Rentals, Kean University, Pinelands Nursery, and Stockton University.

This living shoreline project is not just a short-term solution; it’s a sustainable approach to protecting Neptune's coastal community while also supporting the local ecosystem. While the work was wet and a bit messy, the long-term benefits make it well worth the effort. Recent flooding in the area, brought on by higher than normal tides (aka king tides), put a spotlight on the benefits of the project.

Riverside Drive is a street that loops around the Shark River Hills section of Neptune Township, a triangle of land bounded on two sides by the hungry Shark River - a tidal estuary connected to the Atlantic Ocean by an inlet between Avon-By-The-Sea and Belmar.

Over the years, the Shark River ate away at the surrounding shoreline to the extent that sandy beaches by the water were largely gone, erasing not only wildlife habitat but also the buffer that helped protect the community, leaving it susceptible to nuisance flooding during storms and high tides.

Pictures and video shared with the Littoral Society in September 2024 offer a testament to the power of this natural solution. The images show a king tide swamping Riverside Drive in an unrestored section, while the street was dry along the stretch where the living shorelines was installed.

A big thanks to all who have been involved, including the Neptune DPW, Kean University, and the Neptune Township community, for their continued commitment to coastal resilience. For more information about the Neptune Living Shoreline Project or to learn how you can get involved in future restoration events, visit our website.

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