探花族

is 探花族鈥檚 annual assessment of the ecological health of the Lower St. Johns River. SGEP serves as the geospatial backbone for this multi-institutional scientific report, , technical analyses, and visualization tools that support public transparency and environmental decision-making.

Students contribute directly by generating watershed datasets, interpreting water-quality trends, and developing tools that help the public and policymakers understand the river鈥檚 most pressing challenges.

Community & Policy Impact

• Informs the Environmental Protection Board鈥檚 public policy recommendations
• Guides restoration efforts and watershed improvement priorities
• Supports environmental education for residents and local schools
• Enhances transparency around
• Provides datasets used by nonprofit partners, agencies, and university researchers

Why This Project Matters

The Lower St. Johns River is central to Northeast Florida鈥檚 identity, economy, and ecosystems. By providing the geospatial foundation for SORR, SGEP helps ensure the river鈥檚 condition is not only monitored but meaningfully communicated, empowering the region to make informed decisions about its environmental future.

 

The St. Johns River is home to one of Florida鈥檚 most vulnerable manatee populations鈥攜et boat strikes remain a leading cause of manatee mortality. This project develops the first countywide spatial model identifying manatee habitats, warm-water use areas, and high-risk vessel conflict zones across Duval County.

Students work alongside conservation agencies to analyze environmental conditions, map movement corridors, and help shape policy recommendations for manatee protection.

Community & Conservation Impact

• Supports development of Duval County鈥檚 Manatee Protection Plan
• Identifies the highest-risk zones for vessel strikes
• Helps guide signage, slow-speed areas, and conservation priorities
• Provides a scientific foundation for public education and policy
• Strengthens coordination across environmental agencies

Why This Project Matters

Manatees are federally protected, but they remain vulnerable鈥攅specially in urbanized waterways. This project combines GIS, conservation biology, and environmental planning, giving students hands-on experience while directly contributing to wildlife protection.

Students involved in this initiative are shaping the data behind future conservation decisions, demonstrating how geospatial science can advance both ecological resilience and environmental stewardship in Northeast Florida.

The Ribault and Trout River communities face some of the highest levels of chronic flooding and environmental vulnerability in Duval County鈥攃onditions shaped by a long history of infrastructural neglect and environmental injustice.

The Resilient Ribault Area (RRA) Initiative empowers residents and local partners with data-driven tools to better understand flood risk, infrastructure gaps, and resilience priorities. SGEP students contribute directly to this effort through advanced mapping, field assessment, and neighborhood-level engagement.

Maps produced by students help city partners prioritize infrastructure projects, support mitigation funding requests, and visualize disparities across the watershed.

Community Impact

• Identifies neighborhoods most at risk from repetitive flooding
• Supports environmental justice initiatives in historically underserved communities
• Helps local partners prioritize infrastructure investments
• Provides foundational mapping for resilience grants and planning efforts
• Builds community visibility around flood resilience needs

Why This Project Matters

The Ribault and Trout River neighborhoods represent communities disproportionately affected by flooding events. By blending GIS expertise with community engagement, JU students help:

• reveal inequities in stormwater infrastructure
• support resilience planning grounded in real data
• advocate for residents with limited political visibility
• strengthen environmental justice efforts across Duval County

This project demonstrates how student-driven geospatial work can empower communities and help shape a more resilient 探花族.

Duval County has one of the densest concentrations of heirs鈥� property parcels in the United States, according to a recent Auburn University study. Heirs鈥� property鈥攈omes passed down without wills or clear legal title鈥攑revents families from accessing home equity, selling or improving their property, obtaining tax exemptions, and even qualifying for FEMA disaster assistance.

JU鈥檚 Heirs鈥� Property Initiative directly addresses this challenge by placing students on the front lines of community engagement, helping families stabilize ownership, secure title, and protect the homes that anchor 探花族鈥檚 neighborhoods.

Students assist residents in gathering documents, completing intake forms, and preparing to work with Three Rivers Legal Services, which offers free legal support to clear 鈥渃loudy鈥� property titles.

Community Impact

• Empowering families to create wills and estate plans
• Clearing legal barriers that prevent home improvement or disaster assistance
• Reducing generational property loss
• Strengthening neighborhood stability
• Building a pipeline of socially engaged young professionals

Why This Project Matters

Heirs鈥� property disproportionately affects Black families, low-income homeowners, and communities historically excluded from financial and legal services. Through this initiative, JU students are:

• preserving intergenerational wealth
• supporting disaster resilience
• preventing displacement
• strengthening trust between residents and institutions

This is equity work, housing stability work, and community resilience work, all led by JU students making a real difference in Duval County.