By Elle Toia, Eren Edwards

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Andrew Dolby

Abstract

This research project, conducted from March 12, 2024, to April 21, 2024, aimed to investigate how wildlife utilize restored and unrestored shorelines at Belle Isle State Park. Eastern Virginia’s rivers face a significant erosion problem, leading to the installation of living shorelines as a solution to mitigate erosion and improve water quality. However, researchers have limited knowledge about the impact of these shorelines on terrestrial wildlife in riparian zones.

At Belle Isle, we selected a living shoreline and an unimproved shoreline for the study. The living shoreline features a protective breakwater of large, layered, natural stones to regulate the tides. Native plants have been planted around the sand shoreline. Due to these features, the layout of the living shoreline consists of several connected, small beach spaces. The objective of our study was to determine how wildlife use the living shoreline compared to the unimproved reference shoreline.

To collect data, we set up three trail cameras along each shoreline on March 12, 2024. We switched out the cameras memory cards every ten days. Data was recorded by reviewing the footage to identify and document animals visiting either shoreline. The collected data provided insights into the wildlife species and their frequency of use for each shoreline.

Understanding the benefits of living shorelines for terrestrial wildlife can inform conservation efforts and ensure the long-term viability of these important ecosystems. The findings from our study contributes to the existing knowledge of riverine shorelines, enabling informed decision-making for their preservation and sustainable management.