About
LIVING SEAWALLS
Bringing Life Back to Lifeless Shorelines
For decades, seawalls have helped protect our homes, businesses, and infrastructure—but traditional seawalls often provide little habitat for marine life. Today, scientists and engineers are reimagining these structures by adding nature back into the design. Living seawalls create opportunities for oysters, corals, fish, crabs, and other marine species to thrive while continuing to protect our shorelines, by helping reduce wave energy and erosion.
Residents who wish to respectfully share their concerns
surrounding resiliency, flooding, water quality, and waterfront development
may use or personalize the sample email below.
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Subject: Please Prioritize Flood Resilience & Water Quality Along the Himmarshee Canal
Dear Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commissioners,
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I am respectfully writing to share concerns regarding the proposed waterfront development along the Himmarshee Canal. The Himmarshee Canal is not simply a backdrop for development — it is part of a critical stormwater conveyance and flood-control system that plays an important role in flood resilience, water management, environmental health, recreation, and quality of life within our community.
As South Florida faces increasing flooding challenges, heavier rain events, aging infrastructure, and ongoing water quality concerns, I respectfully encourage the City to prioritize:
• Flood resilience and stormwater management
• Water quality improvements
• Nature-based shoreline solutions
• Living seawalls and habitat restoration opportunities
• Long-term resiliency planning
Thoughtful waterfront planning today can help strengthen both our waterways and our community for the future.
Thank you for your time, consideration, and service to our city.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
[Neighborhood or City]
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Fort Lauderdale Commission Contact Information
📧 Mayor Dean Trantalis — dtrantalis@fortlauderdale.gov
📧 Vice Mayor Steven Glassman — sglassman@fortlauderdale.gov
📧 Commissioner Ben Sorensen — bsorensen@fortlauderdale.gov
📧 Commissioner Pamela Beasley-Pittman — pbeasleypittman@fortlauderdale.gov
📧 Commissioner John Herbst — jherbst@fortlauderdale.gov
University of Miami’s Seahive artificial reefs are proposed for Fort Lauderdale’s George English Park, lead by our R4R Expert Advisory Team Members
Dr. Landolf Rhode Barbarigos and Dr. Esber Andiroglu!
Dr. Landolf Rhodes-Barbarigos
Dr. Esber Andiroglu
We are currently in discussions with the City of Fort Lauderdale on a Seahive Project at George English Park. University of Miami is offering a $100,000.00 cost match grant with which Fort Lauderdale would have to match. This project would begin our Educational Marine Water Research Floating Lab project. We will keep you updated on the progress of this proposed project. We hope we can count on your support when we present this waterway remediation effort to our Commission for funding!
LIVING SEAWALLS AND ARTIFICIAL REEFS
SAVING FLORIDA’S COASTLINES AND RESTORING LIFE AND RESILIENCY TO CEMENT SHORELINES - SEAWALLS!
SEAHIVES
SAVING FLORIDA’S COASTLINES!
OUR EXPERT ADVISORY TEAM MEMBER
KEITH VAN DE RIET'S
MANGROVE REEF WALL PANELS
R4R is proposing and Educational Research Project with his Mangrove Reef Wall panels enhanced with biochar and oysters for the seawall at Fort Lauderdale’s Annie Beck Park which
continually test high for bacteria.
HOW TO BRING LIFE
BACK TO OUR PRICELESS WATERWAYS!
