Living Shoreline Brings Berrywood South To Life

 By Kevin Murnane

The residents of Berrywood South had a decision to make with its decaying retaining wall in 2007. They could have rebuilt it and kept all the grasses they had grown there that were not natural to the region or take a chance on a new concept that was being used in some areas of the region called a “living shoreline.”

Their first step was to get some local expertise in the person of Jana Davis, Ph.D, who was the associate director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Berrywood South had numerous problems on its shoreline including invasive Phragmites - hard grasses not natural to this region - a small failing bulkhead on the east side of the pier and a retaining wall that was over 20 years old.

Dr. Davis recognized Berrywood South as a good candidate for this new concept and the committee and Dr. Davis began plans to recreate this area into a living shoreline.

The committee from Berrywood South was headed by Phil Belgrader, Ph. D, and he began to execute the planning phase of the program to change the Berrywood South’s shoreline into one of beauty that would serve the environment, especially Cattail Creek. The living shoreline would have a rock base to fight the waves from boats using the creek and use natural grasses to this region to protect run-off of sediments as well as adding oxygen to the creek.

Dr. Belgrader began the process and received all the permits needed for a living shoreline. Still working with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the community ran into a major setback: money. Berrywood South would have to match the grant that the Chesapeake Bay Trust would provide.

“At that time it seemed that it would be a long shot that we would get the living shoreline,” said Dr. Belgrader. “We have about 100 homes in the community and they pay a $36 a year homeowner’s fee and that’s optional, so we don’t get the fee from everyone.”

Then a miracle happened and in 2009, the Federal America Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed and they were distributing money to fund “green, shovel-ready projects to improve shorelines and water quality.” Dr. Belgrader and his committee members had received all the permits needed and were “shovel-ready.”

The Chesapeake Bay Trust eventually received nearly $2 million to install living shorelines in Maryland, and Berrywood South was one of only six communities in the state to receive the necessary money to build its “green” shoreline.

“We were at the right place at the right time,” said Dr. Belgrader. “I also think we had a little luck.”

Berrywood South broke ground in December 2009 with extensive placing of sand and rock to create an expansive beach with a rock sill perimeter. The second phase of the project began in February with native marsh and seasonal grasses being planted and removal of some tree limbs.

“The grasses are really starting to fill in and I think the community as a whole is very proud of the new shoreline,” said Dr. Belgrader. “It was a win-win for both the governmental agencies and the environment.”