Back in the summer of 2022, 288 specially designed tiles were installed along San Francisco’s Embarcadero seawall, which are now brimming with marine life, including barnacles, mussels, and algae, marking significant progress in the Living Seawall Pilot. For the past few years, scientists from Tib uron-based Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) have been monitoring the 288 tiles that they installed along three parts of the seawall — the Pier 45 Breakwater, the Agricultural Building Seawall, and the South Beach Harbor East Breakwater, which are designed to help the seawall function as a habitat for marine life.As reported by SFist back in 2022, this effort is part of the Living Seawall Pilot, a partnership between the Port of San Francisco and SERC to make the seawall more eco-friendly and better prepared for sea level rise. The tiles mimic natural shapes like coral or mangrove roots, offering nooks and surfaces where sea life can grow, hide, and thrive.Researchers are comparing different textures and tile sizes at a variety of depths to see what works best in the Bay’s unique environment. According to KPIX, early results are promising — these once-bare concrete walls are now brimming with sea life, including barnacles, mussels, oysters, sponges, sea stars, and algae.The pilot also supports long-term goals. With sea levels projected to rise nearly two feet in the next 30 years, the Bay Area is exploring more sustainable, resilient solutions for protecting infrastructure and ecosystems. These living seawalls cost about $1 million — a fraction of the $425 million bond measure (Proposition A, 2018) passed to upgrade San Francisco’s waterfront.In addition to supporting  biodiversity, the seawalls could also help guard against erosion and earthquake damage — making them a win for both nature and city planning.Image: Jared Erondu/Unsplash ...read more read less