The San Pedro community is confronting severe coastal erosion that has progressively consumed sections of the island’s beachfront, creating hazardous conditions for residents and visitors. This environmental challenge has been exacerbated by accumulating debris and insufficient municipal cleanup efforts, raising public safety concerns.
Valentine Rosado, Science Advisor to the San Pedro Town Council, provides scientific insight into the innovative response strategy. The erosion crisis, particularly acute near the high school area, reached critical levels following a recent storm event that forced road closures after decades of gradual shoreline degradation.
Rather than employing traditional hard engineering solutions like sea walls or white marl fill—which previously created unusable, rock-hard surfaces at Boca Del Rio—the council has implemented a nature-based demonstration project since 2022. This approach focuses on beach nourishment through sediment redistribution and the reintroduction of native plant species specifically adapted to stabilize coastal areas.
Scientific monitoring over two years has revealed that deposited sediments naturally migrate approximately 220 feet southward, confirming the dynamic movement inherent to healthy beach systems. The restoration strategy leverages native vegetation including sea parslin vines, which demonstrate remarkable capacity to reclaim and stabilize eroded sections through their natural growth patterns.
This ecological intervention represents a paradigm shift from conventional erosion control methods, emphasizing the restoration of natural coastal processes rather than attempting to staticly contain them. The initiative combines geotextile materials, strategic planting, and ongoing monitoring to enhance the beach’s inherent resilience against future storm events and rising sea levels.