Biscayne Bay is home to coral reefs, mangroves and a host of underwater creatures that rely on the health of their ecosystem for survival. Citizens of south Florida too, are reliant on the waterway for their well-being. The bay’s mangroves act as a natural barrier to sea level rise and salt-water intrusion. A healthy bay is crucial to a successful local economy.
Dr. Tiffany Troxler, director of science for the Sea Level Solutions Center, joins Miami-Dade County’s Biscayne Bay Task Force, a prominent team of scientists and industry experts tasked with improving the health of our local Biscayne Bay.
“The importance of protecting Biscayne Bay cannot be overstated. It is a national treasure that serves as the home to precious wildlife and is vital to the economic well-being of our county,” Commissioner Rebeca Sosa said when asked about the establishment of the task force.
Threats to the bay include sea level rise, algal blooms, seagrass die-offs and water quality. The task force, created and supported by the Miami-Dade County Regulation and Economic Resources (RER) office in the Division of Environmental Resource Management (DERM), will study the waterway and work collaboratively with county, state and federal agencies to identify challenges and recommend action-oriented solutions that will improve the health of the bay.
For more information about the initiative , please visit the Miami-Dade County website.
The Sea Level Solutions Center is housed in the FIU Institute of Water and Environment, a university preeminent program that is aimed at restoring and preserving the planet’s most invaluable and vulnerable natural resources and ecosystems.
