Who We Are

​​​Beach Management

The County has actively managed its beaches for more than 50-years. The long-term management of the County's shoreline requires close partnership with State and Federal agencies, and consists of shore protection projects (beach nourishment), dune enhancement, and attention to regional sediment management.

Beach nourishment is a shore protection method that is implemented to retain and rebuild eroding beaches. It is the only shore protection method that adds sand to the coastal system, and it is currently the preferred method of shore protection. 

Beach-quality sand, from either an offshore borrow area or upland sand mine, is placed along the coastline to restore an eroding beach, ultimately widening the beach and advancing the shoreline seaward. Like any other major infrastructure, restored beaches must be maintained to stay healthy.

Think of Broward County’s beaches like a road​, requiring periodic resurfacing, but with sand. To ensure that a nourished beach continues to provide protection from the effects of hurricanes and coastal storms, the project must be supplemented with additional quantities of sand, called beach maintenance or “re”-nourishment, as needed. Dunes may also be constructed, or restored, acting as a naturally protective buffer to protect the beach and upland communities.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Resilient Environment Department

Broward County's Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department was created in 2008 when the County merged its urban redevelopment and planning functions with those of environmental protection, emergency management and consumer protection.

Now known as Resilient Environment, the merger created a combined pool of talent and resources that enables Broward County to address the issues and opportunities of our community with efficiency, creativity and innovation.​

Our Mission 

The Resilient Environment Department's mission is to safeguard lives, natural resources and property of residents and visitors by providing for natural resource planning, management and protection, planning for appropriate land use/housing patterns and establishing an incident command system and emergency operations plans, enforcing environmental, development and construction regulations and providing for consumer protection.​


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History

Prior to Broward County taking responsiibility for our beaches, many coastal residents acted unilaterally to address shoreline erosion, haphazardly installing wave breaks, groins, and seawalls (see picture​ below).

While locally this may have appeared to alleviate the problem, it often exacerbated erosion on neighboring properties. Recognizing the need for a comprehensive beach management strategy, in 1965 the County entered into a partnership with the federal government forming the Broward County Shoreline Protection Project (SPP). 

The SPP created the legal framework for federal reimbursement and set the geophysical conditions and boundaries for a systematic approach to addressing coastal erosion in Broward County. Since that time, beach nourishment projects have been used as a means of restoring and maintaining eroded areas of Broward County's shoreline. The beaches have improved with each restoration event.

Aerial view showing the Hollywood Beach Hotel - Broward County, Florida
Photo: Hollywood Beach, circa 1947. Early erosion control efforts, hard armoring and structures, were uncoordinated and largely ineffective.

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