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FAU Poll Finds Climate Change Still Is Important Topic
for Floridians in Era of Coronavirus

The coronavirus crisis has not altered Floridians’ belief in climate change, according to the third Florida Climate Resilience Survey by the Florida Atlantic University Center for Environmental Studies and the Business and Economics Polling Initiative (CES-BEPI).

“Almost overnight, the coronavirus dramatically transformed American life, but it’s encouraging to see that climate change remained a hot button issue for Floridians despite the public health crisis that shifted everyone’s priorities,” said Colin Polsky, Ph.D., director of the FAU Center for Environmental Studies and lead author of the study.

The quarterly statewide survey shows that 89 percent of respondents believe climate change is happening, up from 86 percent in January and 88 percent in October 2019.

Find out more about the recent survey results by visiting our website .
CES Joins the First Street Foundation Flood Lab
CES is excited to announce that we are one of 20 national academic institutions to join the First Street Foundation’s Flood Lab! Over the next two years, CES researchers will be examining how local human-environment processes affect flood resilience in select southeastern Florida and Gulf Coast communities that are currently exposed to the threats of sea-level rise. Learn more about our research by visiting: https://firststreet.org/flood-lab/florida-atlantic-university/
Janke Innovations in Sustainability Science Research Fund
In December 2015, FAU’s Center for Environmental Studies received a $1 million gift from Dr. Walter and Lalita Janke to establish the Walter and Lalita Janke Innovations in Sustainability Science Research Fund . Over the last 5 years, this fund has awarded $250,000 to FAU faculty and student research that advances knowledge and applications relevant for improving environmental sustainability.

The 2018 Janke award to Dr. Oscar Curet , assistant professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering , supported his research in which he and his students used mangrove trees as a source of inspiration by developing mangrove-like bio-engineered structures that harvest tidal energy while also protecting the coastline. Learn more about his research by visiting: http://www.ces.fau.edu/research/janke/center-for-microgrids.php
Kissimmee River Restoration Updates
The Kissimmee River Restoration project is nearing completion. For over 20 years, CES has managed the Riverwoods Field Lab under contract with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) . We support the SFWMD’s research and provide the environmental education and outreach on the restoration. The world renowned river restoration has been in progress since 1999 and is managed in partnership by the SFWMD and the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).

The SFWMD is in charge of land acquisition, research, and education, and the Corps is responsible for all construction activities. This dry season has allowed the contractors to make great progress, and the project should be completed by spring 2021. The final projects include completion of the downstream anchor, the S-69 Weir, and repairs to the erosional damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017.

When the project is complete, there will be 22 miles of the C-38 canal backfilled to restore 44 miles of the historic river and 40 square miles of river/floodplain ecosystem. Recently, the SFWMD’s Michael Cheek, who is an avian ecologist, gave a Zoom presentation on the progress of the construction and the research being conducted as part of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project.  View his 20 minute presentation.
Image credit: SFWMD
Are you prepared for Hurricane Season?
Throughout the month of June, we have been sharing tips and activities to prepare you in the event of a hurricane. See the previous posts on Facebook and share your tips with us.