Beach nourishment is an effective coastal protection measure. Beach nourishment involves replacing sand lost through erosion by adding fresh sand brought from another beach or dredged from the sea floor. This method is capable of transforming a narrow, eroded coast into a wide, sandy beach that can offer immediate protection to the immediate area. An example would be the beach nourishment project on Kuhio Beach on Waikiki, Hawaii. In early 2012, authorities used sand from the shallow ocean floor nearby as it was both cost effective and sustainable. The project took about three months and restored the beach to its original state from 1985. However, beach nourishment does have disadvantages. To mine and transport huge quantities of sand is costly, time-consuming and may be damaging to the environment. Also, sand on the re-nourished beaches will just be eroded again unless other coastal protection measure are undertaken. The fresh sand that is eroded away may also suffocate corals in the area. The aforementioned beach nourishment project on Kuhio Beach accidentally destroyed the coral reefs around the beach as the sand used for beach nourishment was washed out to sea and suffocated the corals.
Planting vegetation and stabilising dunes can also help to stabilise coastlines. This involves planting trees and shrubbery such as mangroves or dune grasses to help stabilise beaches. Growing mangroves takes advantage of their unique root system that can absorb and reduce wave energy. In addition, mangroves provide habitats for many species of fish, shrimps and crabs. An example would be the mangrove planting project in Pulau Semakau, Singapore in 1996. Planting dune grasses work on the same principle. The roots of the grasses anchor the sand and prevent erosion. The grass itself also helps to trap wind-blown sand, enabling the dune to grow larger. An example of using dune grass would be at the coast of Triton Place in Western Australia.
