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Inspiration Card
Nature Based Solution
Coastal Areas

N29 Living Breakwater / Shoreline

Copyright
Example of a living breakwater
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Challenges
Climate Resilience Water Management Natural and Climate Hazards Biodiversity Enhancement Air Quality Health and Well-being Social Justice and Social Cohesion
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Description

Living breakwaters and shorelines are erosion control techniques that combine natural habitats with natural or engineered means of lowering waves energy in order to reduce the damages dealt by storm urge and costal erosion. Often standard breakwaters and shorelines are made of artificial materials such as stones and concrete. Living breakwaters and shorelines, on the other hand, are made from natural materials so that, beside their primary goal, they also can be used as artificial habitats in or

Conditions for Implementation
  • Existing types of habitats in the neighborhood
  • site’s slope, orientation, bathymetry, prevailing currents, waves, and fetch
  • Extent of erosion problem
  • Other hard shoreline stabilization structures adjacent or nearby
Performance
    Cooling Service Transpiration ● ● ○
    Shading ○ ○ ○
    Evaporation ● ● ○
    Building (Insulation) ○ ○ ○
    Reflection (Albedo) ○ ○ ○
    Surface Water Regulation Water Conveyance ○ ○ ○
    Water Infiltration ○ ○ ○
    Water Retention ○ ○ ○
    Water Storage ○ ○ ○
    Water Reuse ○ ○ ○
    Water Purification Water Filtering ● ● ○
    Water Bio-remediation ○ ○ ○
    Air Purification and Noise Reduction Deposition ○ ○ ○
    Air Biofiltration ○ ○ ○
    Noise Reduction ○ ○ ○
    Biodiversity Habitat Provision ● ● ○
    Connectivity ● ● ○
    Socio-Cultural Services Beauty / Appearance ● ● ○
    Usability / Functionality ● ○ ○
    Social Interaction ○ ○ ○
    Education ○ ○ ○
    Provisioning Service Food / Energy / Material ○ ○ ○
    Climate Regulation CO2 Sequestration ○ ○ ○