Norfolk Southern's Living Shoreline Project

Improving water quality and habitat for fish, oysters, river otters, shore birds and other wildlife.

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS

From South Carolina wetlands to the Virginia coast and beyond, we continue to expand our decades-long conservation efforts driving sustainable land use and enhancing biodiversity.

Preserving an Ecological Treasure

Brosnan Forest

Norfolk Southern’s Brosnan Forest is a 14,400-acre preserve near Charleston, S.C. Renowned as an ecological treasure comparable to the Amazon rainforest, it’s home to the largest U.S. population of endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers on private land and one of the country’s largest remaining stands of longleaf pines.

 

We continue to expand upon our decades-long conservation efforts and to date we have restored over 800 acres (about the area of Central Park in New York City) of wetlands and over 6 miles of streams.

Brosnan Forest

It’s All Connected

Trees and Trains

Norfolk Southern teamed up with GreenTrees, a reforestation and carbon capture company, to plant six million trees on 10,000 acres in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, the nation’s largest watershed and a vital wildlife habitat. The multi-year Trees and Trains program restored former woodlands in the valley, the nation’s largest watershed and a vital wildlife habitat.

 

As GreenTrees’ largest corporate partner, we are doing what we can to help revitalize the region’s economy while improving its environmental health.

Nature Based Solutions video

Through our reforestation efforts we can significantly offset our CO2 emissions while creating a national environmental legacy.

1.1 million metric tons

Credits produced by Reforested Land

1.2 million tons

Carbon-offset Credits Generated

Living Shoreline

The Living Shoreline at Lamberts Point in Norfolk, Virginia, is a nature-based restoration project along the Elizabeth River that enhances coastal resilience, restores habitat, and delivers environmental benefits while also helping protect critical rail infrastructure from erosion. The award-winning project builds on Norfolk Southern’s more than 30-year partnership with the Elizabeth River Project, a local conservation nonprofit.

The final restoration phase was completed in May 2026 and included planting 173 trees, 192 shrubs, and native marsh grasses across the site. Through an ongoing oyster gardening initiative, approximately 6,000 young oysters are raised and placed on offshore reef structures each year to enhance habitat and improve water quality.

Living Shoreline at Lamberts Point final restoration

The completed Living Shoreline has transformed nearly nine acres and 1,500 feet of eroded shoreline. The project has also supported more than 140 nutrient credit transactions, helping local industries and municipalities meet environmental obligations and creating lasting environmental and economic value.

Living Shoreline at Lamberts Point final restoration