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With two-thirds of the human population concentrated around coastlines accelerated coastal development and changes to natural coastlines are inevitable. Over time, natural coastlines undergo severe changes, and in many cases are completely overtaken by industrial facilities, coastal defense measures, and residential properties. These altered coastlines face growing threats from sea-level rise and increased storminess. While coastal infrastructure, such as seawalls, utilize hard substrate that can be colonized by marine organisms, these structures do not support similar species assemblages found in natural coastal and marine habitats. As a result, their ability to provide ecosystem services is severely compromised. This presentation highlights an emerging approach that involves the planning, design, and retrofitting of hard structures to create more multifunctional Blue-Green Infrastructure using ecologically sensitive designs and construction technologies that enhance their ability to provide valuable ecosystem services.
Video of Shimrit Perkol-Finkel's presentation on 05/31/19 at East-West Center:
With two-thirds of the human population concentrated around coastlines accelerated coastal development and changes to natural coastlines are inevitable. Over time, natural coastlines undergo severe changes, and in many cases are completely overtaken by industrial facilities, coastal defense measures, and residential properties. These altered coastlines face growing threats from sea-level rise and increased storminess. While coastal infrastructure, such as seawalls, utilize hard substrate that can be colonized by marine organisms, these structures do not support similar species assemblages found in natural coastal and marine habitats. As a result, their ability to provide ecosystem services is severely compromised. This presentation highlights an emerging approach that involves the planning, design, and retrofitting of hard structures to create more multifunctional Blue-Green Infrastructure using ecologically sensitive designs and construction technologies that enhance their ability to provide valuable ecosystem services.
Video of Shimrit Perkol-Finkel's presentation on 05/31/19 at East-West Center: