Miami Beach wins top award for coastal restoration in the United States

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association awarded Miami Beach the Best of the Best Restored Beach Award after the city won a public vote against nine other finalists.

The association, which includes over 1,000 members from coastal communities, gave the distinction to recognize decades of work to recover sand lost to erosion and protect the coastline from rising sea levels and storms.

Miami Beach officials and federal partners like the United States Army Corps of Engineers have collaborated on these efforts since 1985. The city completed its first sand replenishment project in that year, which established a regional program for hurricane protection. These ongoing actions include adding sand to degraded areas and preserving native vegetation to protect habitats where sea turtles nest.

Amy Knowles, the city's Director of Environment and Sustainability, noted that authorities must continuously monitor the coast because waves and wind naturally displace sand. To manage this, the city received state approval in September to update its beachfront management plan for the next ten years with a budget of 541 million dollars. These dunes and beaches act as a barrier for properties with an assessed value of over 62.4 billion dollars.