Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Honda Marine Science Foundation Supports New Projects Focused on “Living Shorelines” Along West Coast
march 16, 2018 - Honda Marine

Honda Marine Science Foundation Supports New Projects Focused on “Living Shorelines” Along West Coast

Continuing its efforts to help restore marine ecosystems and strengthen resilience against climate change, the #hondamarinesciencefoundation will support three projects centered on "living shorelines" along the West Coast:  San Francisco Bay Transition Zone Restoration Project in Northern #california; Upper Newport Bay Living Shorelines Project in Southern #california; and Sunlight Shores Living Shoreline Restoration Project in Puget Sound, Washington.

Honda established the #hondamarinesciencefoundation based on inspiration from the Japanese concept of sato-umi – the idea that humans can and should have a mutually beneficial relationship with coastal ecosystems – with the purpose of fostering meaningful cross-sector collaboration to address the impact of climate change on oceans and intertidal areas. Expanding on last year's support of Southern #california oyster restoration efforts, the foundation's upcoming projects aim to advance the understanding and implementation of living shorelines, providing natural approaches to protecting coastal habitats and communities. Living shorelines provide habitat value, enhance coastal resilience, and boost ecosystem services.

"Honda Marine Science Foundation is proud to support this year's grantees in their efforts to tackle critical environmental issues," said Steve Center, #hondamarinesciencefoundation chairman. "Together, we will promote education through research, helping to further the understanding of how to effectively advance living shorelines and the role living shorelines play in addressing coastal threats."

San Francisco Bay Transition Zone Restoration Project

The San Francisco Bay Transition Zone Restoration Project, an initiative of Save The Bay, is a regional effort focused on wetlands restoration, enhancement and maintenance in transition zones between the tidal marsh and the terrestrial environment. Healthy transition zones provide vital ecosystem services, including absorbing storm surges and protecting communities from flooding, filtering urban pollutants out of estuarine flows, supporting diverse native wildlife, providing migration space for wildlife as sea levels rise, and creating accessible areas for public recreation and ecological education. The grant from #hondamarinesciencefoundation will support these activities and the operation of three native plant nurseries to generate thousands of native seedlings annually.

Upper Newport Bay Living Shorelines Project

Three organizations, Orange County Coastkeeper (OCCK), #california State University Long Beach (CSULB), and #california State University Fullerton (CSUF), collaborated to create the Upper Newport Bay Living Shorelines Project, which focuses on oyster and eelgrass restoration to stabilize local shorelines. The goals of the project are to improve the ecological integrity and resilience of Southern #california embayments as well as increase public awareness and stewardship of coastal habitats.

Further information in the press release to download