缅因州“活海岸线”项目效果参差不齐

缅因州多地正尝试利用“活海岸线”等基于自然的方案应对海岸侵蚀，但效果参差不齐1。波帕姆海滩（Popham Beach）在2017至2025年间平均每年侵蚀约92英尺1。该海滩的圣诞树固沙项目由志愿者布置超过500棵树以捕获沙子并重建沙丘，但仅维持了约一年1。查德·汤普森（Chad Thompson）表示：“它最终因缺乏资源而失败。”1 多个示范项目和公园修复工程也因冬季严寒、风暴破坏及缺乏持续维护资金而面临挑战1。

缅因州地质调查局2017年在不伦瑞克（Brunswick）设立的两个示范站点每个项目成本低于5000美元，使用了牡蛎壳和“树跑者”等技术1。莱恩斯岛（Lanes Island）的第三测试站点成本约65000美元，因侵蚀过于严重而无法通过自然方案解决1。松戈海滩（Songo Beach）的活海岸线项目使用约75棵橡树覆盖约300英尺海岸线，获得的40000美元《清洁水法》联邦资金仅覆盖初始建设1。斯坦迪什布鲁克（Standish Brook）项目初始阶段成本120000美元，植被购买、种植和维护成本约30000美元1。

缅因州环境保护部（DEP）去年5月对海岸线规则进行重大更新以简化许可流程，使大多数基于自然的方案符合“按规则许可”条件，申请处理约需20个工作日1。自规则生效以来，DEP已收到170份按规则许可申请1。官员强调此类生态方案需要长期监测与养护1。彼得·斯洛文斯基（Peter Slovinsky）表示：“活海岸线就像照料花园。”1 肖恩·瓦扬库尔（Sean Vaillancourt）表示：“如果我们没有这样做，情况会糟糕得多。”1

Maine has been experimenting with nature-based solutions, such as living shorelines, to combat coastal erosion, though the results have been mixed 1. To facilitate these efforts, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) significantly updated its shoreline rules in May of last year, allowing most nature-based projects to qualify for a permit-by-rule process that takes about 20 working days to process 1. Since the new rules took effect, the DEP has received 170 permit-by-rule applications 1.

Despite regulatory progress, various demonstration projects and park restoration initiatives have faced significant challenges due to harsh winters, storm damage, and a lack of ongoing maintenance funding 1. At Popham Beach, which has experienced an average annual erosion of about 92 feet between 2017 and 2025, volunteers placed over 500 Christmas trees to trap sand and rebuild dunes, but the project only lasted for about a year 1. Similarly, a third test site on Lanes Island, which cost approximately $65,000, proved unsuccessful because the erosion was too severe for natural methods to resolve 1. In contrast, two demonstration sites in Brunswick established by the Maine Geological Survey in 2017 cost less than $5,000 each and utilized oyster shells and tree runners 1. Other projects have required substantial investments; the Songo Beach living shoreline project used about 75 oak trees to cover roughly 300 feet of coastline, with a $40,000 Clean Water Act federal grant covering only the initial construction 1. Meanwhile, the Standish Brook project incurred $120,000 for its initial phase, with an additional $30,000 spent on purchasing, planting, and maintaining vegetation 1.

Officials emphasize that these ecological approaches require long-term monitoring and care 1. "Living shorelines are like tending a garden," Peter Slovinsky said 1. Highlighting the necessity of the interventions, Sean Vaillancourt stated, "If we hadn't done this, it would be a lot worse" 1. However, the sustainability of such efforts remains a concern, as Chad Thompson pointed out, "It ultimately failed due to a lack of resources" 1.