​​The Broward County coastline includes 24 miles of beaches which are actively managed through ongoing local and regional beach nourishment projects.

While beach nourishment has been a prominent shoreline protection strategy for many coastal communities, coastal dunes have been historically undervalued or even excluded from shoreline protection projects in some areas in favor of strategies that maximize broad vistas and open expanses of beach for recreational purposes.

A 2017 assessment revealed that approximately 70% of our beaches have an integrated dune system, and many existing dunes have become degraded or intentionally removed. Given the importance of coastal dunes in supporting robust economic activities like tourism and real estate investments, this is a tremendous impediment to the longer-term benefits of our beach nourishment projects. The restoration and preservation of coastal dunes has become an area of growing concern both locally and nationwide as dunes are now recognized to significantly reduce the impacts of severe storms and coastal erosion, thus minimizing impacts to infrastructure and property. 

Coastal resilience is also becoming increasingly important in the context of sea level rise and the anticipated increasing frequency of severe storms associated with climate change. Prioritizing the integration of coastal dune restoration and preservation as a prominent component in our shoreline protection projects will help build resilience in our coastal communities and cultivate a shared appreciation for this valuable natural resource.​​​