Changing climates and increased land development are causing coastal erosion and water contamination along beaches and properties across the U.S. Coastal erosion results in millions of dollars in property loss each year, while pollutants in runoff containing nitrogen and phosphorus trigger algal blooms that can affect freshwater and marine aquatic life and human activities.
Biochar offsets nutrient loads and contaminants in water. Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made from biomass waste, such as crop residues, yard trimmings, non-commercial wood, and construction scraps that contain no petroleum. It’s produced by heating biomass in a contained system through a process called pyrolysis, which creates a product that can be used for a variety of purposes, including water treatment, land reclamation, and soil amendment.
In water treatment, biochar absorbs nutrients that pollute water, including phosphorus and nitrogen, and contaminants such as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), thereby reducing algal blooms in coastal areas.
A Combination Founded In Sustainability
In 2026, Native Shorelines, a division of Davey Resource Group, combined biochar with its proprietary QuickReef® living shoreline system to create QuickReef® Carbon+™ to reduce coastal erosion and water contamination simultaneously.
QuickReef® is made from a limestone marl and recycled oyster shell-enriched cement to make a proprietary blend of concrete in living shoreline and reef structures of varying shapes and sizes. The system mimics naturally occurring shorelines and oyster reefs, creating habitat for fish and crabs and encouraging oysters, mussels, clams, and barnacles to attach to it, building a stronger structure over time.
QuickReef® Carbon+™ blends Native Shorelines’ QuickReef® living shoreline system with biochar created from recycled wood obtained through Davey’s landscape and tree care operations. The biochar is mixed into the living shoreline system and applied as a veneer that, when in direct contact with water, absorbs nutrients and contaminants while providing a natural defense against erosion.
At the Forefront Of Innovation
Davey Resource Group (DRG), in partnership with Florida Institute of Technology, received a $1 million grant in 2026 from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to demonstrate how QuickReef® Carbon+™ reduces nutrients and contaminants in water. The focus of the Innovative Technologies for Harmful Algal Blooms will be on nutrient and contaminant reduction in the Indian River Lagoon, a national estuary.
DRG is dedicated to delivering consistently innovative, multifaceted solutions that meet clients’ sustainability and habitat restoration goals. To learn more about coastal shoreline erosion and contamination reduction solutions, contact Native Shorelines.
Article Contributors:
Worth Creech, Area Manager, Native Shorelines
Mary-Margaret McKinney, Director of Coastal Restoration, Native Shorelines
Christopher Fields-Johnson, Tree Conservation Specialist & Technical Advisor, Davey Institute
Joshua Mills, Senior Associate Consultant, Davey Resource Group
