The Stone Living Lab brings research into the real world by designing and testing Nature-based Approaches (NbAs) for coastal resilience on urban shorelines. A partnership with municipal, state and federal government agencies, and in collaboration with members of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag, the Lab emphasizes research that directly informs NbA implementation and education for communities and decision-makers.
NbAs span a spectrum – from green solutions like saltmarsh restoration to the greening of gray infrastructure, where engineered structures are redesigned for ecological and other co-benefits. In Boston, saltmarshes have been significantly degraded by historic development and tidal restrictions, leading to habitat loss. The Lab is assessing marsh health to identify current stressors and guide future restoration.
Cobble berms—engineered gravel structures that mimic natural storm barriers—are also being tested in Boston as low-impact defenses against wave energy and erosion. In parallel, the Lab is piloting Living Seawalls, modular, textured panels that enhance marine biodiversity, marking the first North American deployment of this Australian innovation. While Sydney’s installations have largely been tested in sheltered, temperate waters, the installations in Boston are being tested by colder climates, ice scour, and intense storm events. Co-benefits from biodiversity enhancement to wave attenuation are key metrics of success.
By innovating and testing NbAs in Boston, the Stone Living Lab is generating insights into how global innovations can be adapted to local challenges. The Lab’s work demonstrates the potential for NbAs to transform urban waterfronts into dynamic, living systems that provide benefits for humans and nature.
The Network for Engineering With Nature® (EWN) invites you to the N-EWN Knowledge Series: A Continuing Education Series about Engineering with Nature—Co-producing Coastal Resilience: The Stone Living Lab as a Collaborative Model for Testing Nature-Based Approaches, presented by Katherine A. Dafforn, Co-Director of the Stone Living Lab and Distinguished Professor of Coastal Resilience at the University of Massachusetts Boston’s School for the Environment; University of Massachussetts
Stone Living Lab and Living Seawalls. This 1-hour Zoom webinar took place September 18, 2025 at 12:30pm ET.
For previously recorded seminars, please visit the N-EWN Seminars page.
