Thousands of new plants added to Surrey’s Living Dike

What is a Living Dike? 

A Living Dike is a type of “natural infrastructure”; instead of relying only on concrete walls or traditional dikes to manage coastal flooding, Living Dikes use natural materials like sediment, plants and brushwood to raise and strengthen the shoreline. Over time, they help retain added soil and support the resilience of tidal marshes, a natural buffer that can absorb ocean wave energy and slow erosion. 

And these tidal marshes don’t just protect land. They also support migratory birds, fish nurseries and pollinators, while storing carbon and improving water quality. Projects like this one at Mud Bay offer a rare win-win: they help people and nature adapt to the changing climate. 

Planting for the future 

At the June planting event, volunteers and staff from Ducks Unlimited Canada the City of Surrey’s Salmon Habitat Restoration Program (SHaRP), along with students and volunteers, worked side-by-side to install thousands of native marsh plants along the foreshore and repair brushwood dams that slow water flow and trap sediment. These small but steady efforts are helping the Living Dike evolve into a self-sustaining feature that will grow stronger over time. 

Observing nature 

Overhead drone images show the full scale of the project stretching along the shore, including multiple sections of differing natural infrastructure. Constructed brushwood dams, oyster shell bundles, rock berms and sand berms are all part of a pilot project to deepen understanding of which nature-based solutions are most effective at decreasing the impact of coastal waves on the dike and shoreline.  

Data are collected by on-the-ground data loggers monitored by DUC staff, and the information is analyzed by Marina St. Marseille, a master’s candidate in Coastal Engineering at Queen’s University under the supervision of Dr. Ryan Mulligan, and St. Marseille is finding the research opportunity incredibly rewarding.

“This project is a valuable opportunity to gain background knowledge and learn firsthand from a diverse group of collaborators,” says St. Marseille. “One of the greatest benefits of working on a multidisciplinary team is working alongside practitioners with differing knowledge to progress learning and research.”

She describes what the information is revealing: “The data we’re collecting from the pressure sensors tell an important story about the wave conditions at the site and help us assess how the treatment features are performing.”  

The field observations are vital to setting up accurate computer models, that can then be used to simulate a wide range of wave and water level conditions to further evaluate and improve nature-based coastal designs that can adapt for future climates.  

Why here? 

Strengthening the dike is an important step in protecting the vital international trade corridor of Highway 99, which runs directly behind it, as well as the many local crop-growing farmers and residents whose livelihoods and homes depend on the dike for protection. If the outcomes are positive, this style of dike design could be adopted beyond Mud Bay as well.  

A community effort 

Projects like the Boundary Bay Living Dike rely on partnership and community support. This planting event was made possible through collaboration between the City of Surrey and their SHaRP program, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and the Nature Force, with support from BCIT, Queens University, University of British Columbia and the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. 

As the climate continues to change, innovative approaches like Living Dikes offer a hopeful path forward, blending science, stewardship and community action. 

Want to get involved? 

Follow Ducks Unlimited Canada or the City of Surrey on social media for updates on future volunteer opportunities and coastal restoration efforts.