Living Breakwaters: Nature-based resilience at Staten Island, NY

Ramboll has been leading the construction management on the Living Breakwaters Project, which aims to prepare the coastline along the South Shore of Staten Island for climate change by recreating oyster habitats with breakwaters.

The breakwaters stand out due to their construction using ecologically enhanced concrete armor units. This innovative design fosters marine fauna and flora, improves water quality, and reinstates habitats for marine species, including the historically native oysters. These oysters, crucial for filtering water and increasing water quality, also play a vital role in stabilising the breakwaters.

The 700-metre system is meticulously engineered to combat erosion and safeguard the shoreline. With features similar to a natural reef – ridges, narrow spaces, protruding rocks – they help to control wave action and re-establish the natural environment that once was.

“By the end of the decade we will start seeing many more projects like this one come to fruition. The benefits of a project like this will speak for themselves and certainly inspire other local governments to engage in similar nature-based solutions," says Kevin Smith, senior construction manager for Living Breakwaters.

The addition of oysters to the breakwaters plays a dual role. Besides mitigating flood risks, the water-purifying capabilities of oysters significantly benefit the local community by enhancing water quality and revitalising natural habitats. The project also includes an educational program in local schools and engagement through the Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC) to ensure the sustained care of revived habitats.

The project encompasses shoreline restoration from Manhattan Street to Loretto Street, an erosion-prone area where both public and private assets are vulnerable. The breakwater system is also designed to capture sediments along the shoreline, thereby reversing erosion and protecting the replenished shoreline.

With this design, the project will not only increase the physical resilience of the area, but also the social and environmental sustainability.