Maryland DNR: Resiliency through restoration

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that resilient shoreline and wetland features are being installed at the West River United Methodist Center, a camp and outdoor recreation facility in southern Anne Arundel County.

This groundbreaking is the first of numerous projects supported by Governor Hogan’s Resiliency through Restoration Initiative. 

This innovative restoration project is located on the West River in an area vulnerable to flooding, erosion, and coastal storm impacts.

An 885-linear-foot living shoreline with vegetated breakwater and cobble beach components is being constructed to address rising tides, replace a failing bulkhead, enhance wildlife habitat, and help protect infrastructure from storm surge and coastal impacts.

These natural features are complemented by 430 linear feet of regenerative stormwater conveyance wetland, designed to safely convey stormwater through the campus and to the shoreline.

The initiative supports restoration targeting, design and construction of nature-based projects, monitoring, adaptive management, community outreach and education – all activities necessary for community-driven restoration and resilience.

“Under the Governor’s leadership, Maryland launched the Resiliency through Restoration Initiative to find smart solutions for flooding and other weather and climate impacts in our coastal communities,” Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio said.

“These demonstration projects maximize the use of nature-based green infrastructure solutions such as living shorelines, dunes and wetlands as an important line of defense for coastal and community protection.“

The project site is managed by the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church.