Unlocking resilience: Innovation to adapt, thrive and survive
Dear friends and colleagues,
The catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Helene, spanning from southwest Florida to North Carolina over the last week raises critical questions: can we rebuild communities devastated by this event and if so, when, where and how should we proceed? This dilemma prompts us to consider the necessary path toward climate adaptation.
As I observe my community in Gainesville and the coastal communities where our CCS team works, I see a shift in how we prepare for and recover from more frequent extreme weather events like Hurricane Helene.
Many Floridians are becoming more adept at preparing for such disasters, and efficiently restoring their homes and businesses afterward. For instance, residents in Cedar Key, FL who have endured three hurricanes in just over a year, have learned to quickly clear out soggy debris and disinfect their homes in the aftermath of flooding. Community leaders have also become skilled at tapping into state and federal programs to accelerate recovery. Our emergency response crews – who evacuate vulnerable residents and repair compromised sewer systems or tangles of downed powerlines – are improving their coordination and speed in protecting lives and restoring essential services.
Yet, despite this growing resilience of our friends and neighbors, the scale and impact of events like Hurricane Helene are stretching the resources and resolve of individuals, communities and their supporting institutions.
To alleviate these strains, we need innovation – new approaches to leverage diverse organizations, expertise, technologies and financing options. This includes better forecasting of coastal hazards, and developing robust infrastructure that can withstand future storms. Achieving these goals requires partnerships that combine different strengths, skills and capabilities in novel ways.
The Center for Coastal Solutions proudly collaborates with 51 programs and institutions to expedite innovative solutions and apply them to support our coastal communities. In this issue, we’re excited to spotlight our dynamic partnership with the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation to create meaningful impacts on the ground.
The need for radical collaboration has never been more urgent. As we strive to better support coastal communities recovering from Hurricane Helene, we welcome new partnerships in this vital effort.
To discover how we’re working with partners to create impactful programs, visit our new website. We invite you to reach out to explore how we can deliver advanced research and breakthrough technologies to protect Florida’s coasts together.