Some partnerships stand the test of time. For the Coastal Program in Florida’s Panhandle, our collaboration with the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) of Northwest Florida State College is one of them.

Our work together began in 2000 with the restoration of wetlands surrounding Walton County’s coastal dune lakes – rare natural treasures found in only a handful of places worldwide. Since then, the Coastal Program has provided technical and financial support for numerous conservation projects. Most recently, a project completed in December 2024 restored salt marsh salt marsh
Salt marshes are found in tidal areas near the coast, where freshwater mixes with saltwater.

Learn more about salt marsh and oyster reef habitat at 43 sites, while leveraging nearly $410,000 in partner contributions.

Founded in 1996, CBA has become a regional leader in watershed stewardship, advancing healthy, swimmable, and fishable waterways through restoration, education, research, and monitoring. In 2007, the Coastal Program, CBA, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and other partners launched the Panhandle Living Shoreline Initiative, helping transform shoreline protection in northwest Florida by promoting nature-based solutions over traditional hardening methods.

Living shorelines do more than stabilize eroding coastlines. They help buffer storms, reduce property loss, improve water quality, and create valuable habitat for fish and wildlife. Oyster reefs play a particularly important role—just one adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water each day.

Today, the Initiative includes partners working with landowners across six priority bays in the Florida Panhandle. Since its inception, CBA has helped construct nearly 70 living shorelines through innovative efforts such as:

• Restoring salt marshes with plants grown by students through the Grasses in Classes program, which connects environmental education with hands-on conservation. 
• Operating the OYSTER (Offer Your Shell to Ecosystem Restoration) program, which recycles oyster shells from local restaurants to build reefs and restore habitat. 
• Advancing oyster reef construction using non-plastic materials. 
• Providing technical assistance and permitting support for living shoreline projects on both public and private lands. 

As coastal communities face growing environmental challenges, the Coastal Program remains committed to investing in and expanding living shoreline techniques – proven solutions that protect shorelines, strengthen ecosystems, and benefit communities across Florida and beyond.