During the Spring 2013 Adaptive Design Studio, the project team met with Cedar Key and Rosewood community residents and stakeholders for workshop activities, design presentations, and interviews. Through these interactions, the project team captured local experiences and adaptation preferences. Community members in Cedar Key and Rosewood intimately know what it’s like to live and work on the coast. Many have grown up with an ever-changing coastline, and predictions of future change are no surprise, however the rates and types of changes have become a concern for the community. During discussions about maintaining community assets, many residents preferred “soft” strategies that are integrated with the natural environment, as opposed to “hard” engineering fixes such as sea walls, since preserving a healthy and beautiful landscape is critical to local economic sectors and ways of life. Innovative, integrated design of the built environment and infrastructure will be a key element of successful adaptation to sea level rise and other coastal change.

Clam farming in the Cedar Key area is a profitable industry that relies on a healthy estuarine system. The estuarine water must contain the right nutrients, salinity, and water quality for the clams to thrive.