Shoreline Management and Coastal Resilience in Virginia: Analysis of the Roles of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Encouraging Living Shorelines

Coastal erosion and shoreline retreat can be offset by responsible shoreline management through nature-based solutions such as living shorelines. This study describes five roles played by environmental nonprofit organizations in shoreline management and coastal resilience in Virginia by illustrating how these nonprofits support and encourage living shorelines. The five key roles played by environmental nonprofits are: (1) public education about living shorelines, (2) advocacy for living shorelines, (3) technical assistance to design and install living shoreline projects, (4) training for professionals to increase capacity for living shoreline projects, and (5) access to funding. The government regulatory framework primarily addresses the permitting process, leaving it to nonprofit organizations to fulfill various roles beyond the actual permitting process. The implications of greater involvement by the nonprofit sector in shoreline management that encourages and supports living shorelines are discussed.