Natural coastal cliffs and beaches mark the place where the land meets the sea. They are a crucial biological interface between aquatic ecosystems and the land, and a remarkable number of living things depend upon them at some point in their lives. These habitats have declined considerably in the Chesapeake Bay region because of extensive shoreline stabilization. Yet it is the erosion processes that man-made stabilization seeks to curb that make these dynamic habitats unique. The constant wear of wind and tide creates a harsh environment in which some creatures and plants have developed unique strategies for survival.

Some of our rarest and most threatened species, notably our two species of Federally threatened tiger beetles and the globally rare plant seabeach amaranth, are restricted to natural beaches or cliffs. Their conservation - along with that of many birds, plants, and invertebrate animals - is dependent upon protecting these habitats in their natural state. The Landowner Incentive Program is funding the control of invasive plants such as Phragmites to benefit rare tiger beetles along the Calvert County shoreline.

Another species that depends upon natural sandy beaches is the diamondback terrapin. This beautiful animal, familiar to many as the mascot of the University of Maryland, requires sandy beaches in order to dig nests and lay eggs during the summer. Unfortunately, much of the terrapin's native nesting ground has been destroyed through the construction of armored shoreline, including bulkheads and rip-rap. LIP is funding a project in Dorchester County to restore a prime terrapin nesting site.