For several decades, beach restoration programs have been at the forefront of Florida’s beach management programs in order to restore sandy beach resources and protect upland properties. Environmental services associated with beach restoration and renourishment projects throughout the state have been an integral component of CSA’s Marine Sciences & Mitigation business line for over 30 years. These environmental services primarily include monitoring programs for nearshore hardbottom resources, which provide habitat, food, and shelter to a wide variety of invertebrates, fishes, and endangered sea turtles and also help protect coastlines from erosion and storm surge by dissipating wave energy.
To date, CSA has surveyed approximately 375 monitoring transects, performed over 3,000 in situ quadrat surveys, and diver-mapped approximately 100 miles of the landward edge of hardbottom associated with beach restoration projects in Florida. Continuation of current projects will take place in summer 2014 to coincide with macroalgal growing season and periods of visibility in nearshore waters along Florida’s east coast.