Werowocomoco, an archaeological site located on the north side of the York River in Gloucester, has experienced nearly 100 feet of lost shoreline since the 1930s due to erosion and rising sea levels. To prevent further loss, the National Park Service works with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to monitor the shoreline’s condition and supplement existing stone revetment with a living shoreline.

Living shorelines use soil, stone and plants to mimic the effect of a natural marshy shoreline. They provide a barrier between pounding waves and vulnerable shorelines, stabilizing the area. In addition, they provide habitat for animals, sequester carbon and can improve water quality.

In 2016, VIMS authored the Werowocomoco Shoreline Management Plan and installed a living shoreline at the site, placing stone sills and planting some 15,000 square feet with marsh grasses. The project protected 1,300 feet of shoreline.

Additional measures are still needed to prevent erosion along t...