Group photo with participants doing the gator chomp and text above,

UF Bridges Cohort Forges New Connections During Three-Day South Florida Workshop

Restoration efforts for America’s Everglades, one of Florida’s most well-known treasures, require collaboration reaching beyond academia. To bridge this gap, 24 Water Institute affiliate faculty traveled to South Florida for an intensive, three-day workshop.

This effort is part of the “Building Research Initiatives and Dialogue for Greater Everglades Science” (BRIDGES) cohort, a year-long program connecting early and mid-career researchers directly with managers, scientists, and decision-makers leading Everglades restoration. Led by Dr. Nick Aumen, a Visiting Professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment, BRIDGES is a joint initiative between the Water Institute, the School of Natural Resources and Environment, and various University of Florida departments and academic units. Together, the cohort will develop and expand dialogue surrounding Everglades’ restoration and the complex challenges too numerous to tackle alone.

To better understand the complex governance structure for Everglades’ restoration and its key challenges such as endangered and invasive species, water quality, flow patterns, and ecosystem processes, the participants met with a range of organizations and agencies. These included the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Parks Conservation Association, the South Florida Water Management District, Everglades National Park’s South Florida Natural Resources Center, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers West Palm Office.

Members of a working group sitting at a table watching a presentation.

BRIDGES participants watching a presentation by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

The group gained hands-on experience showcasing how academia can fulfill specific needs in future Everglades restoration research. Members participated in presentations on the missions, capabilities, and science priorities of partner organizations; got their feet wet touring the Everglades and its connected watersheds; learned about the Loxahatchee Impoundment Landscape Assessment – a field-scale mesocosms with tree islands, wet prairies, and sloughs; visited the University of Florida Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead; and partook in discussions throughout the three-day workshop

“The exchange of information among the UF BRIDGES cohort and Everglades managers, scientists, and advocates was as comprehensive, in-depth, and informative as anything I have experienced in my 35 years working in Everglades restoration,” said Dr. Aumen “I believe that the explicit research gaps and needs identified by dozens of agency staff will prove useful to the cohort and UF for years to come. We are very grateful for the time and effort put in by South Florida presenters to make this workshop so successful.”

These presentations, tours, and discussions built upon the momentum of the ongoing BRIDGES webinar series. This monthly series features Everglades managers and scientists from across the environmental sector involved in Everglades restoration efforts and is open to the public. The next webinar will occur on June 11, 3:00 p.m. and will feature Dr. Fred Sklar, Director of Everglades System Assessment at the South Florida Water Management District. He will present, “The Complexities and Paradoxes that Underpin Everglades Restoration”, with registration available here.

Armed with a deep understanding of agency mandates, explicit science gaps, and newly built relationships, the cohort members will spend time as part of the initiative collaborating on targeted, interdisciplinary research proposals. By directly aligning University of Florida research capabilities with the explicit needs of the Everglades, its restoration, and current efforts, BRIDGES is ensuring that public science actively serves one of the largest environmental restoration efforts in the world.

June 2, 2026