Where land interfaces with water.
Shorelines are dynamic ecosystems.
The edges of our lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans are critical to both terrestrial and aquatic species. Well-vegetated shorelines serve as buffer strips, protecting banks from erosion, safeguarding water quality, cooling streams, and providing some of the world's most productive fish and wildlife habitat. Blanding's turtle, the red-shouldered hawk, seaside centipede lichen, and the southern flying squirrel, to name a few. Today, we're beginning to realize how shortsighted we've been. We're becoming aware that shorelines are sensitive areas with incalculable value, that they need special care.