Apalachicola Bay, located in Florida’s Panhandle, is being revitalized through a living shoreline project that integrates oyster reefs and saltmarshes to combat erosion, enhance biodiversity and support water quality. This nature-based approach protects coastal infrastructure while restoring the bay’s ecological and economic resilience.

A 12-mile segment of Highway 98 that crosses Apalachicola Bay on the Florida panhandle lies directly beside the water’s edge. Wave energy, rising tides and severe storms make this stretch of shoreline, and the roadway infrastructure, particularly vulnerable to chronic erosion.

We are supporting the people of Apalachicola Bay, learning from their traditional knowledge brought together with our scientific innovation, in restoring this unique ecosystem not only for economic revival but also to preserve their livelihoods.

Due to the importance of this highway as a designated hurricane evacuation route, efforts have been undertaken to stabilize the shoreline using various types of armoring, including vertical concrete seawalls, rock riprap, concrete rubble and articulated-concrete block mats. However, the shoreline and critical waterfront asset have continued to sustain damage. 

Oysters and other filter feeders that colonize the reefs help to clean the water and serve as food sources for other marine organisms, while the marshes provide important habitat and ecological uplift for birds, crabs, fish and other species. In turn, the ecological restoration supports the fisheries production, recreational opportunities and improved water quality.

As the largest oyster fishery in the United States, the economy and ecology of Apalachicola Bay have always been closely intertwined — the oyster fishery has suffered significant decline in recent decades and nearly total collapse in 2012. “People don’t really understand how important this oyster fishery is to these local communities. This is their livelihood.” Will says. Boosting the ecology and encouraging native species to return and flourish, creating thriving habitats that enable local fisherman to sustain their way of live and preserve their communities’ traditions.