During the warm winter months, an organization in Monmouth County operates as a bridge between science and the public, and they have been working on an important living shoreline.

For over two months, work has been underway in a section of Neptune Township to build a living shoreline that will help protect the surrounding community from storms and waves, reduce flooding impacts, and create habitat for wildlife.

Back in Nov. 2022, the South Riverside Drive project started targeting a vulnerable section of beach in the Shark River Hills section of the township. The initial phase of the project is nearing completion. It has involved placement of special "mattresses" and coir logs to stabilize more than 2,000 feet of shoreline, as well as raising the beach and building a dune to provide added resiliency during storm or high-tide events.

The American Littoral Society was brought in for protective design solutions that preserve the natural space along the Shark River since it's crucial for several avian and estuarine species, including spawning horseshoe crabs.

Beginning in the spring, there will be volunteer opportunities that will include adding native plants to the site and long-term monitoring.