Jamaica Bay Living Shoreline Project
We recently joined with the National Park Service, the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC), and the Fund for the City of New York to cut the ribbon on the newly completed Living Shoreline at West Pond in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Gateway National Recreation Area.
The restoration project uses natural features to create a soft protective edge that will limit erosion and protect West Pond and the adjacent loop trail. Newly placed sand and native plantings will act as wave attenuators, safeguarding these vital freshwater wetlands while creating a new, much-needed tidal wetland. The protective berm around West Pond was breached during Superstorm Sandy and subsequently repaired in 2017. Another breach would eliminate a freshwater wetland system that supports a high diversity of bird species within Jamaica Bay.
The restoration project, which cost $4 million and was funded entirely by DEP, began May 17 and was completed earlier this month. The living shoreline was designed by Dirtworks Landscape Architecture PC, Rippled Waters Engineering and Great Ecology, with collaboration from community stakeholders including the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers, the American Littoral Society, and the Billion Oyster Project. The funding was part of an agreement between New York City and New York State to further improve the health of local waterways.
Construction restored 2,400 linear feet of shoreline with approximately 51,000 cubic yards of sand, thereby creating more than nine acres of wetland and upland maritime habitat. A breakwater system comprised of 5,000 biodegradable oyster shell bags, 100 recycled trees and 15 coir logs was installed to provide wave attenuation and shoreline stabilization. Additionally, 200,000 tidal wetland plugs, native grasses and shrubs were planted. Once work concluded, 6,000 linear feet of the West Pond Loop Trail was restored and reopened.
The restoration of West Pond exemplifies the types of resiliency projects we are proud to partner on. This newly-created living shoreline will provide protection from extreme weather and climate change, while also enhancing the bay’s ecology.
