Coir Logs/Matting
Made from coconut fibers, these logs and mats are biodegradable erosion control products for shorelines, hills and banks. They allow water to flow through, but keep sand, mud and dirt trapped giving native plants time to establish themselves. Wooden stakes and twine are used to secure them in place.
Sediment
Sand fill is sometimes needed in areas where the daily tidal waters do not have enough floating sediments for the coir logs to trap and build up in the shoreline. Sometimes the project timeline is short and you can't wait for sediments to build up naturally.
Oyster Castles
Oyster castles come in all different shapes and sizes, and are usually made out of a concrete mix. Oyster castles provide a base to which oyster spat (baby oysters) can land on and grow and provide water quality benefits. The castles can also help to break up wave energy.
Shell Bags
Shell bags can be created from oyster or mussel shells, depending on the habitat of the living shoreline. These shells are aquired from recycling programs like the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays' "Don't Chuck Your Shucks" and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary's "Give a Shuck Oyster Shell Recycling Program".
Native Plants
There are many different types of native plants that can be purchased from nurseries for living shoreline projects. The types of plants that are used in living shoreline projects are dependent on how salty the water is and how wet the plants will get.
Rocks
Rock can be used in hybrid type living shoreline designs when there is too much wave energy for natural materials to hold up alone. Rocks are usually placed in configurations known as marsh "toes" or "sills." When rocks are added to a design the goal is to add just enough to trip up waves to reduce the energy, but yet still allow access to the habitat behind it for wildlife.