A 2023 Hurricane Season Success Story: Cedar Key’s Living Shorelines Bolster Resilient Community

Researchers at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF|IFAS) are seeing success with their experimental “living shorelines” that are reducing the impact of hurricanes on coastal communities in Cedar Key and throughout Florida.

Unlike other manmade barriers, these natural ones are able to become part of the shoreline’s natural defense system. This gives them the ability to grow as part of the environment, and spur new growth after a hurricane makes landfall, furthering the protection of the coastline.

Mark Clark, UF associate professor in the soil, water, and ecosystem sciences department teamed up with colleague Savanna Barry, a UF/IFAS Extension regional specialized Florida Sea Grant agent, for the project sites in Cedar Key where these living shorelines showed particular resilience.

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