Use the finder tool to explore our recent Research and Program Development (PD) projects.

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This project aims to enhance shoreline resilience and habitat restoration by prioritizing living shoreline designs using robust green infrastructure principles, directly addressing Florida Sea Grant priorities. Through the creation of shoreline prioritization and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for estuarine shorelines in the Indian River and Lake Worth Lagoons, the project seeks to inform resource allocation and stabilization strategies while engaging diverse communities in environmental education and fostering inclusive participation in coastal management efforts.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs), particularly involving Pyrodinium bahamense, threaten the Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System (IRLES), leading to economic losses and public health risks from saxitoxin (STX) contamination. This project seeks to combat HABs in IRLES with a cost-effective and systematic approach in line with the comprehensive conservation and management plan (CCMP) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) goals for a healthy ecosystem and increased public awareness.
In this study, the efficacy and safety of clay flocculation as a red tide control strategy will be evaluated, leveraging previous and ongoing research efforts. The project aims to address critical gaps in knowledge about the impacts of clay on microbial, infaunal, and macrobenthic communities, while also focusing on research opportunities for underrepresented students and comprehensive outreach programs to engage underserved community members.
The project addresses inequities in Jacksonville’s urban core by centering the needs of underserved communities and integrating community-designed spatial justice principles into infrastructure planning through participatory action research. Drawing on critical scholarship and recognizing the intersection of justice and infrastructure, particularly in the face of climate change, the project aims to understand and address root causes of spatial injustice, promoting social progress and environmental resilience through community-driven research and advocacy.
The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) faces biodiversity threats and water quality challenges exacerbated by climate change, prompting the initiation of the Regional Resiliency Action Plan (RRAP) to address these issues through green infrastructure in Brevard and Volusia counties. The RRAP outlines objectives for prioritizing green infrastructure and promoting habitat connectivity, with ongoing efforts focusing on comprehensive land cover assessments, optimization modeling, and community engagement to support resilience planning and ecological restoration in Brevard County, aligning with Florida Sea Grant priorities and Stetson University’s mission for environmental resilience.
This proposal outlines a collaborative effort between Florida Sea Grant (FSG) and the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies to develop a statewide resiliency initiative called “Disaster Resilient Florida,” aimed at addressing coastal climate change challenges with a focus on underserved communities. The initiative will advance awareness, planning, and preparation for the impacts of coastal climate change on affordable housing in Florida, through capacity building, educational opportunities, partnership expansion, and support for marginalized communities.