Dredged bay mud and sand, once as welcome to communities as a trash dump, may be key to saving Delaware Bay beaches and wetlands from erosion and sea-level rise.

This is one concept researchers, advocates and officials are considering as they move ahead with aggressive and creative plans for restoring parts of Cumberland County’s bayshore while ensuring communities most at risk from sea-level rise can better handle flooding and storms.

Ideas for helping the bayshore have long floated around, but recovery from Hurricane Sandy — and the increased federal and philanthropic dollars flowing into New Jersey — has effectively put a spotlight on numerous projects and all but guarantees at least a few will move forward.

“These are projects that protect the natural habitat, but they also provide for natural resilience,” said Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society, which is leading multiple projects along with The Nature Conservancy.

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