Shoreline armor removal: challenges and solutions to working with private property owners

Shoreline armoring is a pressure on the nearshore ecosystem altering a variety of sediment and biological processes which in turn alter the structure and function of the nearshore ecosystem. It is also a subject that elicits an emotional response from landowners concerned about the stability of their shoreline property in the face of sea level rise and increasing storm surge. The Northwest Straits Foundation and its partners have been engaging with shoreline landowners to encourage behavior change through education, outreach, and incentives that remove or reduce the barriers for consideration of alternatives to hard armor. This presentation will highlight the tools and methods used to identify landowners willing to consider alternatives to hard armor and the incentives that got them to say yes to removal. It will also discuss the challenges, obstacles, and compromises made throughout the process