ECU ecologists collaborate on reef, habitat restoration projects to protect shorelines, tourismECU researchers have received a $150,000 North Carolina Sea Grant to help evaluate living shoreline designs’ ability to reduce coastal erosion while creating habitat for oysters, fish and marsh species. They are helping protect the coast by evaluating three living shoreline designs implemented in a state-funded restoration project. Partners include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), North Carolina Coastal Federation, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and the Theodore Roosevelt Natural Area, a 265-acre state park in Pine Knoll Shores. Therefore, in 2023, the North Carolina legislature allocated funding for shoreline restoration projects. The findings from this study also will inform future living shoreline designs and will be incorporated into a state living shoreline guidance manual being developed by living shoreline practitioners, coastal researchers, managers and permitting agencies.