Resilient Florida – It’s an idea that is gaining traction for Florida’s communities who are faced with the need to be prepared for disasters and adapt to future conditions. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) held its first statewide workshop in August for Resilient Florida: Planning, Policy and Practice.

The two-day event brought local government, planners, floodplain managers, climate change adaptation professionals, natural resource managers, and park managers together to discuss how to bring resilience to Florida’s communities.

In 2018, the FDEP awarded funding to the Florida Resilient Coastlines Program (FRCP). The money is aimed at helping Florida’s communities prepare for coastal flooding, erosion, and current and future effects of rising sea levels. Together with NOAA, FRCP funded 13 projects in 2018. Over $2 million was awarded to FRCP Resiliency Planning Grants and Implementation Grants in 2019.

Terri Lowery, Senior Vice President at Jones Edmunds, attended the workshop earning a CEC Certificate from the FDEP Florida Resilient Coastlines Program. “It was exciting to see so many people coming from different perspectives bring energy and ideas to focus on a common issue,” said Terri.