NOAA in the Caribbean held stakeholder workshops in San Juan, Puerto Rico August 19-20, 2019 and in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands August 22-23, 2019 with local partners and invited guests from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, The Nature Conservancy, the University of the Virgin Islands, the University of Puerto Rico, the University of the West Indies, Pontifical Catholic University, Willis Towers Watson, Horsley Witten Group, and the City of Miami Beach. The presentations and discussions focused on topics critical to coastal community resilience such as engineering with nature, green infrastructure, parametric insurance and reinsurance, and adaptation planning.
The event in San Juan was held August 19-20, 2019 in the Muñiz Soufant Amphitheater at the Ana G. Méndez University Cupey Campus.
The event in St. Croix was held August 22-23, 2019 in the Great Hall at the University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix Campus.
Day 1 themes focused on applying concepts of engineering with nature, green infrastructure, and living shorelines with presentations from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City of Miami Beach, and Horsley Witten Group about regulatory considerations and the use of nature-based engineering and green infrastructure in coastal environments, and examples of engineering with nature and green infrastructure projects by professionals from the University of the West Indies, University of Puerto Rico, University of the Virgin Islands, Geographic Consulting/Horsley Witten Group, and Pontifical Catholic University.
Day 2 themes focused on parametric insurance and reinsurance, and adaptation planning with presentations from the City of Miami Beach, Willis Towers Watson, FEMA, and The Nature Conservancy.
Please see the agendas below for a more detailed breakdown:
For more information about the events or to talk about future collaboration, please contact Lisamarie Carruba (lisamarie.carrubba@noaa.gov; Chair, NOAA in the Caribbean) or Makeda Okolo (makeda.okolo@noaa.gov; Vice-Chair, NOAA in the Caribbean).
Blacktip sharks. Credit: iStock.
Releasing a sandbar shark on a shark survey.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Maronda Hastie sailed aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II. Since 1995 the bottom longline survey has been conducted on the Oregon II for shark and bony fish research. Credit: NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
