A coalition of leading scientific and environmental organizations today announced the launch of the Miami Community ResilientSea Project, a groundbreaking three-year initiative aimed at strengthening Miami-Dade County’s coastal resilience, restoring vital ecosystems, and empowering residents to become environmental stewards.
Led by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, the initiative brings together a diverse group of partners including the Rosenstiel School’s Rescue a Reef program; The CLEO Institute; Black Women in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Science; Debris Free Oceans; Miami Waterkeeper; and the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.
“Located at the intersection of the Everglades, Biscayne Bay, and Florida’s Coral Reef, Miami is one of the country’s most ecologically critical and economically valuable urban coastal areas,” said Dalton Hesley, the project leader and a senior research associate in the Department of Marine Biology and Ecology at the Rosenstiel School. “The ecosystems that surround it provide billions of dollars in services—from storm protection and tourism to fisheries and recreation.”
The ResilientSea Project is designed to ensure that local communities—especially those most vulnerable to climate impacts—are placed at the center of environmental action. Through community engagement and hands-on opportunities, the project will offer residents the tools and knowledge to protect the ecosystems that sustain their way of life.
Planned activities include dune and coral reef restoration, community and coastal clean-ups, climate education, and advocacy training. By restoring natural infrastructure such as shorelines, waterways, and coral reefs, the project aims to reduce storm risks, enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and increase public knowledge to build community and coastal resilience.
“The project centers community leadership at the heart of this effort, recognizing that those who call Miami home are also the best stewards of its future,” said Gloria Blaise, project manager for the Miami Community ResilientSea Project. “Through hands-on, experiential opportunities, the project will equip local residents with the knowledge and tools to help safeguard the ecosystems that sustain them.”
All Miami-Dade County residents are encouraged to get involved and join the effort to build a stronger, more resilient community by volunteering at restoration events or attending hands-on workshops. Everyone is welcome. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.earth.miami.edu/research/projects/miami-community-resilient-sea-project/index.html
Funding for the Miami Community ResilientSea project is provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Habitat Conservation Program Office.
