IN 2023, BISCAYNE BAY WATERKEEPER (D/B/A MIAMI WATERKEEPER) BUILT ON OUR REPUTATION BY NAVIGATING CHALLENGES, SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES, AND CONTINUING OUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING OUR PRECIOUS WATERWAYS AND FINDING LOCAL RESILIENCY SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES. WE UPDATED OUR MISSION AND VISION TO BETTER REFLECT THE WORK WE DO AND THOSE WE SERVE. THE MISSION OF MIAMI WATERKEEPER IS NOW TO PROTECT SOUTH FLORIDA'S WATERS BY ADVOCATING FOR RESILIENT SOLUTIONS GROUNDED IN SCIENCE, ROOTED IN NATURE, AND DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A VISION FOR A RESILIENT SOUTH FLORIDA THAT IS A GLOBAL LEADER IN CLEAN WATER SOLUTIONS, WHERE THRIVING COMMUNITIES AND NATURE COEXIST. SINCE 2010, MIAMI WATERKEEPER HAS DEFENDED THE RIGHT TO USE AND ENJOY CLEAN WATER. WE ARE RECOGNIZED IN THE COMMUNITY AS A TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND A LEADING VOICE AND ADVOCATE FOR BISCAYNE BAY AND ITS SURROUNDING WATERSHED. OUR WORK IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE WE EMPLOY A MULTI- FACETED APPROACH THAT INCLUDES SCIEN
Over six months, Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper evolved from a focused monitoring organization into a comprehensive environmental protection powerhouse, expanding from 12 to 29+ monitoring sites while achieving measurable water quality improvements with nitrogen levels improving in 7 bay regions. Their educational programs matured from launching basic Ambassador programs in May to graduating 34 Junior Ambassadors by August and earning Community Partner of the Year recognition by October, demonstrating sustained impact in developing environmental leaders. The organization's advocacy efforts culminated in major campaigns to protect Florida's last natural staghorn corals and mobilizing over 10,000 advocacy letters, showing how their foundational monitoring and education work enabled them to tackle systemic environmental challenges at the state and federal level.