Riverside Conservancy Inc

TO CREATE AND EXPAND SUSTAINABLE LIVING SHORELINES THROUGH EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND LAND CONSERVANCY PROGRAMS THAT UTILIZE COMMUNITY-ENGAGED DESIGN AND TO PROMOTE THE HERITAGE OF WORKING WATERFRONTS AND HEALTHY HABITATS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON AND FOR THE GREATER PUBLIC HEALTH, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND RECREATION OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

SHORELINE RESTORATION, REEF WALL CREATION, & OYSTER REEF ENHANCEMENT.THE RESTORATION OF SHORELINES (BY PLANTING AQUATIC GRASSES AND MANGROVES AND RESTORING OYSTER BEDS) FILTERS POLLUTION THAT WOULD OTHERWISE FLOW INTO WATERWAYS AND GROUND WATER AFTER RAIN STORMS. BECAUSE SHORELINE PLANTS AND OYSTERS ARE NATURE'S WATER FILTERS, LIVING SHORELINES BENEFIT THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS THROUGH CLEANING OUR WATERWAYS AND DRINKING WATER, CREATING HABITATS FOR WILDLIFE, PROTECTING OUR HOMES AND BUSINESSES FROM STORM SURGE, AND BEST OF ALL, MAKING OUR PARKS BEAUTIFUL!CREATION OF MANGROVE REEF WALLS TO ADD VISUAL AND FUNCTIONAL VALUE TO SEAWALLS; CREATE VERTICAL HABITAT SURFACES THAT FIT WITHIN THE SECTIONAL PROFILE OF MOST FLORIDA CANALS; OFFER A WALL SURFACE THAT AVOIDS RESTING ON THE SEA FLOOR, THEREBY DISRUPTING NATURAL HABITAT; HELP DISSIPATE SHORELINE WAVE ENERGY; HELP MINIMIZE INVASIVE SPECIES GROWTH; AND PROVIDE PLACES FOR FISH AND SHELLFISH TO HIDE AROUND CONSTRUCTED SHORELINES.RIVERSIDE CONSERVANCY IS PLEASED TO PARTNER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ON EFFORTS TO RESTORE CLAM POPULATIONS IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON. DR. TODD OSBORN AT UF'S WHITNEY LAB HAS PLANTED MILLIONS OF CLAMS IN THE LAGOON, WHICH, WHEN FULL GROWN FILTER UP TO 20 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY. BY RESTORING CLAM AND OYSTER POPULATIONS, THE CONSERVANCY AND OUR PARTNERS HELP IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. RIVERSIDE CONSERVANCY IS SUPPLEMENTING THIS EFFORT BY CONSERVING AND RESTORING NATURAL SHORELINES AND PROVIDING COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THE CONSERVANCY IS ALSO CONDUCTING WATER QUALITY MONITORING WITH THE HOPE OF DOCUMENTING LONG-TERM WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN THE LAGOON.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH EXPENSES.WE RECOGNIZE THAT EDUCATION IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF CONSERVATION. WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS NOT ONLY PHYSICAL, BUT A CHANGE IN MINDSET. WE HOPE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO UNDERSTAND THAT A HEALTHY COMMUNITY RELIES ON HARMONY BETWEEN ITS CITIZENS AND THE NATURE AROUND THEM. THROUGH THE RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF LANDS AND WATERWAYS WE CAN HELP CREATE A MORE PROSPEROUS AND HEALTHY SOCIETY. VOLUNTEERS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS CAN LEARN IN THE FIELD, GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY IN FUN COASTAL ACTIVITIES AND CONTINUE THEIR KNOWLEDGE THROUGH RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE ATTENDING OUR ACADEMY! EVERYONE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO INTERNALIZE THE CORE VALUE OF BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND HOPEFULLY CAN BECOME AMBASSADORS TO INSPIRE THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM. AS THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICIPATION INCREASES, THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE WORKING TOWARD HEALTHY HABITATS, AND BENEFITING OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

RIVERSIDE YOUNG LEADERS IN CONSERVATION PROGRAM (EIGHT COLLEGE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE YEAR-LONG PROGRAM).THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS AND GENERATIONS OF THE FUTURE, CREATING AMBASSADORS FOR CONSERVATION THAT WILL CHANGE OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BETTER.