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Abstract
Coastal properties at risk of erosion have traditionally been protected by hard armoring structures, e.g. bulkheads or seawalls. Hardened shorelines reduce essential intertidal habitat and have been shown to interrupt sediment dynamics at multiple spatial scales, often increasing erosion on adjacent properties. The living shoreline utilizes native plant materials and reef structures to hold sediments in place, thus providing ecosystem services while protecting upland properties. Despite numerous studies of the ecological benefits of living shorelines, their effects on adjacent properties are not well known. Over the course of one hurricane season, the banks adjacent to three living shorelines and three bulkheads were evaluated using an unmanned aerial system and erosion rates calculated using a method of photogrammetry termed Structure-from-Motion. Statistically significant differences in erosion were not observed between the two groups, however scouring was evident immediately adjacent to each bulkhead site and living shoreline sites appeared less variable over time.