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### Video Subtitles
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### Body
htmlText_3BDDA084_2F1E_595E_41B0_58540FC8105E.html = Photo credit: D. Burger
Flexamat® is a type of erosion control mat utilized for stabilizing slopes and shorelines. It consists of concrete blocks locked together and embedded into a high-strength geogrid. There is space between the blocks that gives the mat flexibility and allows for vegetation growth.
Photo credit: D. Burger
The property consisted of a steep, eroding bank due to tide and high energy. It involved the use of Flexamat®, a type of erosion control that uses interlocking concrete blocks. The first phase of the project involve installing Flexamat® along a 95-foot linear shoreline in 2021.
Afterwards, the area experienced a resurgence of native vegetation and increased oyster growth. Phase 2 involved extending the shoreline another 95 feet and installing additional Flexamat® in 2023.
The living shoreline on Tolomato Island is the first living shoreline installed on a private property. The project successfully fostered the regeneration of indigenous plant life and promoted oyster growth, demonstrating the ecological benefits of this innovative erosion control method.
The project shows that oysters recruit exceptionally well on the Flexamat® concrete nodules. Overall, there has been a reduction in shoreline erosion, successful regrowth of native plant species, increased oyster habitat, contributing to water filtration and ecosystem health, and enhanced resilience against tidal fluctuations and storm surges. The project serves as a model for future nature-based shoreline stabilization projects.