An Overview

Susan Davidson, M.S., P.Eng., Sea Science Inc.

SEA SCIENCE Inc.

“The Green Shores™ (GS) program is designed to encourage sustainable use of shoreline ecosystems through planning and design that recognizes the ecological features and functions of shoreline systems. Green Shores provides resources and tools for shoreline property, land-owners and managers to minimize the impacts of new developments and restore shoreline ecosystem function of previously developed sites.”

Stewardship Centre for British Columbia, 2014

Green Shores for Coastal DevelopmentStewardship Centre for BCgreenshores.ca

Green Shores for HomesCity of SeattleSan Juan CountyStewardship Centre for BCIslands Trust (BC Southern Gulf Islands)greenshoresforhomes.org

The speaker is not one of the program developers!

But we have participated in two “third party” pilot project assessments using the Green Shores™ “beta” project accreditation system

1. Education and Outreach: - educational workshops and training seminars

2. Green Shores Resources and Technical Information:

Credits and Rating Guides Research reports and related resources

Stewardship Centre for BC: Greening Shorelines to Enhance Resilience

(2014) Green Shores Policy and Regulatory Tools for

Local Government (2016) Shoreline Regulation and Permitting Processes

in BC Other reports: www.greenshores.ca

The “core” initiative of the Green Shores programs is the establishment of voluntary project evaluation and accreditation systems loosely based on LEED™ Green Building and Green Neighbourhood rating systems

Green Shores for Homes is intended for single residential waterfront lots

Green Shores for Coastal Development is intended for multi-family residential and commercial waterfront properties, public spaces such as parks and recreational areas

Fundamental basis for the evaluation of project performance

A project “rating” is obtained by: Meeting all prerequisite criteria Obtaining points through the assessment of a

number of credits Three ratings levels based on credit points

achieved (Green Sho: Bronze – 5 credit points Silver - 10 credit points Gold - 15 credit points

Prerequisites

1. Siting of Permanent Structures2. Conservation of Critical or Sensitive Habitats3. Riparian Zone Protection4. Conservation of Coastal Sediment Processes5. On-Site Environmental Management Plan

CreditsCredit 1 Site Design with Conservation of Shore Zone 1 to 3 pointsCredit 2 Shore Friendly Public Access 1 pointCredit 3 Re-development of Contaminated Sites 1 pointCredit 4 Climate Change Adaptation Plan 1 to 5 pointsCredit 5 Rehabilitation of Coastal Habitats 0.5 to 4 pointsCredit 6 Rehabilitation of Coastal Sediment Processes 2 to 3 pointsCredit 7 Enhanced Riparian Zone Protection 0.5 to 4 pointsCredit 8 Light Pollution Reduction 1 pointCredit 9 Integrated Stormwater Planning and Design 1 to 4 pointsCredit 10 Innovation 1 to 2 pointsCredit 11 Outreach and Public Education 1 point

The Guide document gives, for each of the prerequisite criteria and optional credits: Description of the objective or intent The environmental or social context The measure that must be achieved to meet the

credit objective Submittal requirements Ideas and suggestions for project design and

specifications Reference materials

Stewardship Centre for BC: Numerous workshops held over the past 10

years to develop the program Winter 2016 – Green Shores pilot training

courses held (1 and 2 day versions) in BCGreen Shores for Homes: Has trained and certified project “Verifiers”

Green Shores for Coastal Development No formal system for project accreditation

currently exists Who will review project applications, verify

information and certify projects?

Green Shores for Homes ??

Assessment of some of the credits requires interpretation of submitted materials by qualified professionals. Will project “assessors” have the appropriate technical expertise?

Will project “assessors” be protected with respect to professional liability concerns?

Separation of project accreditation from “design approval” and permitting process

1. Preserve or restore: physical processes – the natural actions of water and sediment movement that maintain healthy shorelines

2. Maintain or enhance: habitat function and diversity along the shoreline

3. Prevent or reduce: pollutants entering the aquatic environment

4. Avoid or reduce: cumulative impacts – small individual effects that add up to large impacts on shoreline and coastal environments

Is it too easy to get a project certified (particularly for brownfield sites)

How far should we require project proponents to go beyond what is already required by existing laws and policies, in order for the project to obtain Green Shores certification?

Habitat Restorationvs.

Habitat Rehabilitationvs.

Habitat Reinvention