KS Associates will lead its third Ohio Nature-Based Shoreline Training Program that it co-developed for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Office of Coastal Management. The program was designed to equip shoreline practitioners with the resources they need to implement nature-based shorelines in Ohio’s Lake Erie region. The program is important in that it provides the opportunity to restore natural structure and function to coastal areas.
To register for or learn more about the program, visit ODNR’s Office of Coastal Management web site.
The 2026 program will include a hands-on installation of an extended nature-based shoreline at the Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve in Huron, Ohio. The two-part training session will begin with classroom instruction on March 18-19 at the Ritter Public Library in Vermilion, followed by a day in the field on May 20 (rain date: May 21). The 2026 installation will result in an extension to the nature-based shoreline that was constructed at the Old Woman Creek beach during the pilot training session in 2022.
“This program has been effective in equipping practitioners across Ohio with the skills to design and build resilient, ecologically sound shoreline solutions,” said Mark Cencer, P.E., KS Associates Director of Coastal Engineering Services. “We are now seeing the real-world benefits of those efforts — past installations are not only enhancing habitat and improving water quality, they are reducing erosion and strengthening the long-term stability of Ohio’s coastlines. This program is a model for how thoughtful, nature-based approaches can deliver measurable and positive impacts for our communities and the environment.”
BACKGROUND:
Beginning in 2020, Coastal Engineers at KS Associates, Inc., along with ecologists at GEI Consultants, Inc. collaborated with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Office of Coastal Management to offer a training program for Nature-Based Shorelines. Practitioners can understand the importance of living shorelines and learn industry standard techniques for designing and constructing natural shorelines.
The installation of living shorelines is becoming increasingly important for our region’s ecosystem. Unlike hard structures such as stone revetments and concrete seawalls, nature-based shorelines provide the opportunity to restore natural structure and function to Lake Erie’s coastal areas. When implemented correctly, nature-based shorelines prevent erosion, improve water quality, and promote fish and wildlife habitat
The first training session was held in 2022. Professionals attended two days of classroom instruction on March 2 and 3, 2022. Then on June 2, 2022, they headed to the field where they installed a living shoreline along Lake Erie at the Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve in Huron, Ohio.
In 2024, Cleveland Metroparks partnered with ODNR to implement the program for a nature-based shoreline installation at Wendy Park. In four years (2017-2021), the park lost more than 10 feet of shoreline along a 400-foot stretch of the water’s edge, including an area near popular volley ball courts. The design is helping to preserve nearshore water depths of one to three feet, restore the natural land-water interface, increase opportunities for species diversity and productivity, improve water quality, and maintain coastal processes.
The course is designed to:
- Help practitioners determine when natural vs. man-made shore protection makes sense.
- Provide step-by-step instruction on the use of native plantings and natural elements such as coir logs and live fascines.
- Include a hands-on day in the field to install a living shoreline. Sites will be identified for future training programs.
Participants receive a certificate of program completion valid for three years, Professional Development Hours (PDHs), and American Planning Association (APA) certification maintenance credit.
For more information about upcoming opportunities to become certified in the design and construction of Nature-Based Shorelines, contact:
Contact:
Emily Kuzmick
Coastal Training Program Coordinator
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management
[email protected]
