How Living Shorelines Are Holding Up Along Florida’s Coast

Date: August 21, 2025 | 2:00 PM EST/1:00 PM CST
Speaker: Will Mather & Greg Corning, PE
Credits: 1.0 PDH | 0.1 CEU | Approved for all Envirocert International, Inc. (ECI) Certifications: Approval #PDH-0172
Cost: Free

Coastal erosion is a persistent issue for Florida communities, and effective, long-term and low maintenance solutions are critical. In this session, Greg Corning and Will Mather from WSP in the U.S., share lessons learned from their work designing and implementing living shorelines across the state. Using insights gained from last year’s hurricane season, they’ll explore where these nature-based solutions work best, what makes them succeed, and how the design process balances environmental and engineering considerations.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore how living shorelines strengthen the resilience of coastal communities
• Understand the benefits and limitations of living shorelines
• Learn which key factors inform the design and construction of living shorelines

About the Presenters

With 15 years of industry experience, Greg Corning, PE delivers technical expertise and engineering analysis for projects focused on climate resiliency and assessment, project management, dredging and dewatering planning and design, stormwater management and permitting, environmental design and permitting, as well as construction administration, engineering, and inspection. He has contributed to climate resiliency and assessment initiatives across parks, facilities, roadways, canals, and stormwater infrastructure. Greg’s background includes field exploration and research on a range of environmental projects, such as sediment analysis for potential contaminants influencing disposal options, surface water quality assessment and monitoring, erosion and sediment evaluation, and wetland assessments. He is proficient with total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) and has supported the management, planning, and design of dredging, dewatering, stormwater, and wetland projects from initial design and permitting through to construction and final certification. Additionally, Greg has presented to stakeholders and the public regarding complex issues on behalf of governmental clients. His experience further extends to the preparation of grant applications, facilitation of public meetings, and development of construction documents including requests for proposals, drawings, technical specifications, and cost estimates.

Will Mather is an environmental scientist with six years of experience in field support and project management for site investigation and remediation (SIR), coastal resilience, and remote sensing initiatives. He currently serves as project manager for the Franklin-98 Living Shoreline Project under the Apalachee Regional Planning Council (ARPC). Throughout his tenure on Franklin-98, Will has received commendations from ARPC contract managers for his contributions and will be part of the team honored with the 2025 Gulf Guardian Award. His client portfolio includes The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, Franklin County, Walton County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, supporting grant-funded living shoreline projects across the Florida Panhandle. Will’s extensive experience with grant-funded coastal initiatives has equipped him to effectively manage projects that require navigating complex scheduling and budgetary constraints tied to grant requirements.

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