Work of Safe Harbor
Safe Harbor, founded by Gordon Peabody, is an environmental education and protection organization on Cape Cod that is at the forefront of designing, testing and implementing various erosion control and environmentally sensitive construction/renovation techniques. At the core of the organization is an educational focus as they are committed to demonstrating techniques to the public that are effective yet less environmentally harmful and use “indigenous materials, low impact techniques and [work] with the coastal process.”[i] They have carried out numerous projects helping homeowners and municipalities design more ecologically sound solutions that differ from the more commonly chosen hard engineered solutions.
The philosophy behind their efforts is to develop innovative strategies that consider both environmental concerns and prioritize public use and access, illustrating that these are not inherently oppositional and can be integrated. The organization is able to develop these strategies by using creative problem solving and by adhering to three primary principles that challenge the status quo: alternative analysis in environmental planning, interdisciplinary collaboration and consensus based decision making.
Ryder Beach Restoration
Ryder Beach path in Truro. The path on the right was suffering from dune migration, making it difficult for people to climb and descend it.
An example of a recent Safe Harbor project in which these design principles were implemented was the Ryder Beach landing restoration. This Truro town beach had experienced a large migration of sand from high winds, causing the access route from the parking lot to the beach to shift, making the path very difficult for visitors to gain easy access to the beach. Sand had accumulated along the path to make the apex 28 feet high as seen in, resulting in a steep climb and descent.
The path required the accumulated sand to be leveled out.
Safe Harbor was contracted to implement a soft solution to correct the path, which they accomplished by raising the lower portion of the path by 14 feet and lowering the apex by 14 feet, splitting the difference. Partnering with the Department of Public Works (DPW), Peabody explains the process that they carried out:
DPW Director Paul Morris moved eroded sand back to where it came from. DPW workers installed 500 feet of 4′ sand fencing to outline a walkway designed to prevent future wind erosion. Safe Harbor workers installed 800 feet of innovative 24″ sand control fencing along the restored dune line for short-term collection of wind-blown beach sand. DPW and Safe Harbor worked together to plant 5,000 stems of beach grass. This will provide a sustainable system to capture and hold wind blown sand at the dune line. Long term control of public access, short-term sand fencing and long-term vegetation will create a sustainable system protecting natural resources and public access.[ii]
A sand fencing field was installed at the end of the path to help stabilize the sand, which Peabody points to in the image at the beginning of this chapter. Had the town of Truro decided to choose a hard engineered solution over this process, there could have been a permanent boardwalk installed in conjunction with other engineered structures to try to stabilize the dune. Had a boardwalk been constructed it would not have solved the fundamental problem that this area experiences strong winds nor would it have stabilized the area the way that simply moving the preexisting sand and putting in sand fencing and dune grass will.
This exemplifies the success of projects that work with preexisting resources and conditions to create a more sustainable solution. Further projects of this nature should be reviewed for similar soft solution viability including vulnerable areas within the National Seashore that have been routinely suffering from rates of erosion that exceed an average 0.8 meters a year.
[i] Peabody, Gordon. “Soft Solution Bi Coastal Erosion Control Initiave |.” Safe Harbor. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://safeharborenv.com/environmental-initiatives/cape-cod-erosion-control/>.
[ii] Peabody, Gordon. “Ryder Beach Partnership restores town landing |.” Safe Harbor. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://safeharborenv.com/2009/03/23/ryder-beach-partnership-restores-town-landing/>.
