DERM received the Golden Project Award by the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association (FSBPA) at the 50th year Anniversary Conference of this institution, which took place in Boca Raton on September 13, 2007.  The award represents the top Beach Nourishment Project in Florida over the last 50 years.  The project has also been recognized at the national level by receiving the first ever top Restored Beach Award from the prestigious American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. 

Among the factors contributing to the success of the Beach Nourishment Project:

• The project has performed excellently - only about 5% of the 13 mile long project, extending from Government Cut through Sunny Isles Beach, has been highly erosional since it was built almost 30 years ago.
• The project has sparked economic revitalization along Miami Beach.  South Beach was transformed from a low income neighborhood to one of the top international tourist destinations in the world. 
• The project has excellent public access.  Almost half of Miami Beach's shoreline is public park land, and each city street provides access to the world famous beach. 
• In addition to the Beach Restoration project itself, Miami-Dade County has implemented a number of innovative technologies to improve performance.  Extensive dune revegetation, installation of breakwaters and other structures to reduce high erosion rates, and recycling sand from high deposit areas of the beach to eroded sections are a few of the programs in place for this initiative.  

Congratulations to DERM's Beach Nourishment Team: Brian Flynn, Steve Blair, Sara Thanner, Susan Markley, Maria Blanco-Pape, Lee Hefty, Paul Voight, Liz Britt, Chrissy Hopps, Kate Skindzier, Maurice St. Pierre, Julio Nores, Keith Ng, Mario Lopez, Scott Lamola, and the entire administrative and support staff of the Department, as well as those from other Miami-Dade County agencies without whose patronage the Beach Nourishment Project would not be possible.