Cooperative Agreement F25AC02079

RESTORE AMERICAS ESTUARIES (RAE) SEEKS USFWS SUPPORT TO ALLOW US TO LEVERAGE OUR 2025 LIVING SHORELINES TECH TRANSFER WORKSHOP (LSTTW) TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WORKING TO PROTECT AND RESTORE THE HEALTH AND RESOURCES OF COASTAL HABITATS AND COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE. TAKING PLACE OCTOBER 29-30, 2025 IN NEW HAVEN, CT, AND CO-HOSTED BY RAE AND OUR MEMBER GROUP SAVE THE SOUND, THIS WILL BE THE NATIONS LARGEST GATHERING FOCUSED ON THE SCIENCE, PRACTICE, AND POLICY OF LIVING SHORELINES AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS. LIVING SHORELINES REFERS TO A VARIETY OF NATURE-BASED SHORELINE PROTECTION OPTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR NATURAL COASTAL PROCESSES TO REMAIN THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLACEMENT OF PLANTS, STONE, SAND FILL, AND OTHER STRUCTURAL AND ORGANIC MATERIALS. LIVING SHORELINES BENEFIT COASTAL HABITATS, COMMUNITIES, AND ECOSYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THE COUNTLESS HUMANS AND SPECIES THAT LIVE WITHIN THEM. BENEFITS PROVIDED INCLUDE: 1. LIVING SHORELINES IMPROVE WATER QUALITY BY TRAPPING SEDIMENTS AND FILTERING POLLUTANTS. 2. LIVING SHORELINES PROVIDE SHALLOW WATER HABITAT AND A DIVERSITY OF PLANT SPECIES FOR AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS THEY ALSO PROVIDE SHADE TO KEEP WATER TEMPERATURES COOL, HELPING TO INCREASE OXYGEN LEVELS FOR FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC SPECIES. 3. LIVING SHORELINES REDUCE EROSION AND ABSORB WAVE ENERGY, GREATLY INCREASING SUSTAINABILITY AND RESISTANCE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS TO WEATHER EVENTS AND OTHER NATURAL HAZARDS. 4. LIVING SHORELINES ARE BETTER ABLE TO WITHSTAND STORM DAMAGE AND HAVE LOWER MAINTENANCE COSTS COMPARED WITH TRADITIONAL, HEAVILY ENGINEERED OPTIONS. THE LIVING SHORELINES TECH TRANSFER WORKSHOP WILL TAKE PLACE ON OCTOBER 29 AND OCTOBER 30, 2025. WHILE THE AGENDA HAS NOT YET BEEN FINALIZED, IT IS LIKELY THAT IT WILL INCLUDE: OCTOBER 29: - OPENING PLENARY: FEATURING INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION OF RELEVANT TOPICS, DESIGNED TO STIMULATE, INSPIRE, AND DEEPEN PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTANDING OF NATURE-BASED SHORELINE PROTECTION. - BREAKOUT SESSION: BREAKOUT SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT WILL BE DESIGNED TO EDUCATE PARTICIPANTS ON TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF LIVING SHORELINE PLANNING, PERMITTING, IMPLEMENTATION, MANAGEMENT, MONITORING, ETC. - FIELD SESSIONS, ALLOWING PARTICIPANTS TO VIEW FIRST-HAND LIVING SHORELINE PROJECTS IN THE AREA TO LEARN FROM AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LEADING THESE PROJECTS AND TO ENGAGE WITH OTHER PARTICIPANTS - EXHIBITOR SPACE AND POSTER SESSION: PARTICIPANTS CAN ENGAGE WITH COLLEAGUES FROM A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE SECTOR WHILE LEARNING ABOUT RELEVANT PROJECTS, INNOVATIONS, RESEARCH, AND MORE. OCTOBER 30: - MULTIPLE BREAKOUT SESSIONS: BREAKOUT SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT WILL BE DESIGNED TO EDUCATE PARTICIPANTS ON TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF LIVING SHORELINE PLANNING, PERMITTING, IMPLEMENTATION, MANAGEMENT, MONITORING, ETC. - INTERACTIVE PANEL: LIKELY FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE OF COASTAL RESTORATION, INCLUDING ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENTS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES INTENDED BENEFICIARIES WILL BE THE ATTENDEES AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THEY REPRESENT. THE LSTTW WILL PROVIDE TRAINING TO AND ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS AMONG INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING A WIDE VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COASTAL SECTOR, INCLUDING NONPROFITS FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CORPORATIONS UNIVERSITIES AND MORE. THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THEY REPRESENT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED VIA THIS WORKSHOP, WHICH WILL INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO ENGAGE IN COASTAL CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY WITH NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS. THIS INCREASED CAPACITY OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE SECTOR WILL FURTHER BENEFIT THE COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS WITHIN WHICH THEY WORK.