Okaloosa County celebrates completion of multi-year bay shoreline stabilization effort
Okaloosa County, Florida – Okaloosa County has finished a big project to improve the environment around Choctawhatchee Bay. This marks the end of a multi-year effort to protect and stabilize the shoreline near Veterans Park and Ross Marler Park.
County officials said that 2,000 feet of living coastline has now been fully built, providing a nature-based way to deal with long-standing erosion problems in the area.
On Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., there will be a public ceremony at Ross Marler Park on Okaloosa Island to officially celebrate the project. County officials say the event is meant to show off the work’s benefits for the environment and the community. The work was done to maintain public parks and keep the bay’s natural beauty.
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Instead of using hard barriers like rocks, living shorelines employ natural materials and native plants to soak up wave energy and prevent erosion. County officials argue that this method will save money over time and is better for the delicate coastal habitat around the parks. The project is designed to increase wildlife habitat and make the bay healthier overall, in addition to strengthening the shoreline.
Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel said that the area is home to many different kinds of plants and animals and highlighted how important it is to maintain those natural riches.
“This unique landscape is home to so many species that we need to protect,“ said Ketchel. “This living shoreline will supplement their success, the health of our bay and extend the life of these wonderful parks.”
Vice Chairman Drew Palmer highlighted how everyone had to work together to finish the project. He acknowledged county engineers, project managers, coastal scientists, and grant specialists for working together from planning through construction. He noted that the effort done by many people behind the scenes was very important to making sure that the shoreline is safe for public usage in the long run.
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The project got money from a lot of places, like $1.5 million from tourism bed tax revenue, $1.5 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and $1.6 million from the RESTORE Council through the Gulf Consortium. Commissioner Sherri Cox said that the project was an example of prudent stewardship and that maintaining the shoreline is an investment in the natural resources that make Okaloosa County unique.
County officials claim that the living coastline will likely lower future maintenance expenses and may even let the shoreline gradually grow over time, making the bay even stronger.
