Blogger Rachael Harrington
May 28, 2026
Volunteers working across the dune planting the native plants. Photo credit: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
My year as a Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps (CCCC) member has allowed opportunities for learning and hands-on experiences, providing me with an invaluable foundation in the world of green infrastructure. This year has not just been about acquiring new knowledge, but applying it, furthering a deeper understanding of the complex challenges facing the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and efforts to address them. It’s also been a chance to meet some of the many wonderful people who are devoted to protecting clean water and the Chesapeake Bay.
As part of my learning experience, I completed a capstone project: coordinating a volunteer planting to support a living shoreline on the Chesapeake Bay. Here’s a look at how that came about and what I learned.
Learning About Living Shorelines
The newly established living shoreline on Tilghman Island, MD on Harris Creek, where Spartina patens – Saltmeadow Cordgrass and Spartina alterniflora – Smooth Cordgrass have been planted. These plants will help stabilize the coast and provide essential habitat restoration. Photo credit: Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council
In the fall, I took part in CCLC’s Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional’s (CBLP) Living Shoreline training. The training supplies professionals with knowledge to be able to assess, design, permit, and maintain nature-based shoreline stabilization projects that are climate resilient and support habitat restoration.
That’s important because throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, shorelines have been impacted by human development and many have lost the ability to sustain natural processes like coastal erosion and accretion. With the training, professionals can use a variety of integrated practices that collectively form a living shoreline, such as planting native marsh grasses along the water’s edge combined with placing coir logs that allow the shoreline to better absorb the energy of incoming waves while new plants take root.
The CBLP class work on living shorelines was enlightening from start to finish.
As part of the certification process, participants need to complete a real-world shoreline installation practicum. For my capstone, I decided to coordinate a volunteer shoreline planting project.
Teamwork is a big part of the conservation movement, and a shoreline planting event could bring people together. Offering an opportunity for CBLP shoreline participants to complete their required hands-on certification components. I could invite CCCC members to come into the field with us and learn more about living shorelines.
Getting the Project Started: The Power of Partnership
Lucas Lees of Unity Landscape Design and Build and his family exploring the living shoreline before volunteers arrive. Photo credit: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
After deciding on a shoreline planting, my first step was to find a site.
I was connected with CBLP’s Shoreline Advisory Network inquiring about sites that might be open to a volunteer planting in the spring. Thanks to the network, I met Lucas Lees with Unity Landscape Design and Build and learned about their shoreline project on Tilghman Island. Lucas is a certified Chesapeake Landscape Professional and one of CBLP’s Level 1 and Living Shoreline Instructors. And he was eager to help.
Lucas and his team were crucial in organizing this event and connecting with the nearby Tilghman on Chesapeake community whose members came out and volunteered. They were instrumental in providing technical background knowledge and sharing technical skills to volunteers for a successful planting event.
The help from the CBLP network and Lucas’s keenness highlights how essential these networks are to accomplishing our environmental goals.
Making a Difference with the Tilghman Island Living Shoreline Project
-
- Melissa Dombrowski CBLP Pennsylvalina and Delaware Coordinator pausing planting. Photo credit: Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council
-
- Volunteers working to plant the final plants of the dune. Photo credit: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
-
- Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps members working with Unity Staff to make sure plants are appropriately spaced out. Photo credit: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Lucas explained that the living shoreline on Tilghman Island was designed to adapt to sea level rise and coastal storm impacts, and address stormwater and erosion runoff. The restoration efforts did not rely on a single fix but used multiple conservation methods including stone sill construction, tidal marsh enhancement, and the creation of coastal dune, nontidal wetland, and meadow.
On the day of our event, a team of 42 volunteers and staff came together to focus on the new dune area. Together, we planted over 3,000 individual plants of native dune grasses and herbaceous plants. Species such as Spartina patens – Saltmeadow Cordgrass, Solidago sempervirens – Seaside Goldenrod, and Eragrostis spectabilis – Purple Love Grass were planted across the dune with support from Unity Landscape. This effort aims to stabilize the new dune ecosystem, enhance biodiversity, and provide habitat for coastal wildlife. The selection of native plant species was made based on their resilience to the coastal environment, their ability to thrive in sandy soil, and their ecological value to the surrounding ecosystem.
-
- A few of Tilghman on Chesapeake Community members posing with Solidago sempervirens – Seaside Goldenrod. For the community this restoration effort has been a long time coming. Photo credit: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
-
- A young Diamondback Turtle moving across the dune passing by a recently planted grass that will help stabilize the shoreline. Photo credit: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Nearing the end of the planting event a very small Diamondback Terrapin emerged and made its way across the dune passing the new dune grasses toward Harris Creek! This little Terrapin likely overwintered in its hatching nest to conserve energy before emerging and making the trek across the dune. Female Diamondback Terrapins use sandy substrates above the high tide line to lay their eggs, often returning to the same area year after year. Returning shorelines to softer structures allows for wildlife to have access for nesting, foraging, and resting.
A Successful Project and Community Event
From left to right, Melissa Dombrowski CBLP Regional Program Coordinator Pennsylvania and Delaware, Rachael Harrington Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Member, Beth Ginter Executive Director of CCLC, Laura Todd Associate Green Infrastructure Program Director at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Standing in front of Harris Creek and living shoreline rock sill structures. Photo credit: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
The success of this shoreline planting was truly a community effort. The hands-on work brought together a dedicated group of volunteers. This collaboration and shared stewardship into this project ensures the long-term health and resilience of our beloved Bay shorelines. This capstone project served as a culmination of my corps year, integrating the people and knowledge I have gained, particularly from the CBLP Living Shoreline Training and being able to complete my hands-on component to earn my certificate. Many thanks and gratitude to my mentors Beth Ginter, Laura Todd, and Katie Pinkham for their support and guidance throughout this project planning and Lucas Lees for welcoming me and all the volunteers to your project site and sharing your knowledge with us!
Rachael Harrington is a Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Member serving with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council. Rachael graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a degree in Environmental Science. When she is not working, Rachael enjoys knitting, hiking, reading, and traveling.
