DEFENSE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PROGRAM
Engineering with Nature in Mayport Village Jacksonville, Florida ABOUT THE UGA DEFENSE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PROGRAM
MAYPORT VILLAGE NAVAL STATION MAYPORT
The University of Georgia collaborates across disciplines and jurisdictions to apply innovative solutions supporting community resilience. The UGA Defense Community Resilience Program functions as a bridge, connecting military installations and civilian communities. The program provides resources and guidance to support the development and implementation of resilient nature-based infrastructure projects. By harnessing federal support and bringing expertise and talent to bear from across a multi-disciplinary collaborative network of technical specialists, the Institute of Government’s Defense Community Resilience team works hand in hand with communities throughout Georgia and the southeastern U.S. to adapt to a changing climate and a dynamic world.
The Mayport Village Community AREA OF INTEREST
The U.S. military depends on Defense Communities like Mayport and the greater Jacksonville metropolitan area to host our Nation’s military installations by housing both enlisted and civilian personnel, educating their children, and caring for their families. Defense communities also supply vital infrastructure services to military installations, making the resilience of Defense Communities like Mayport Village is a national priority. Mayport Village is a unique part of the Port City of Jacksonville, Florida. Situated on the southern bank of the Saint Johns River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Mayport’s distinct fishing-village
character reflects its rich past and living present as a working waterfront community. Situated tightly between a busy, powerful river and a busy, powerful Navy base, Mayport Village is a poster child for the coastal resilience challenges and opportunities that face America’s Defense Communities.
Naval Station Mayport Since its commissioning in December 1942, Naval Station Mayport has grown to become the third largest Fleet Concentration Area in the United States with a harbor capable of accommodating 34 ships and an 8,000-foot runway capable of handling any aircraft in the Department of Defense inventory.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The operations of the Naval Station depend on reliable ground transportation connections to ensure personnel and critical supplies can reliably reach the base.
Successful projects require community support. The motivation and momentum of groups like the Mayport Waterfront Partnership can generate a natural synergy between community revitalization efforts and planning for resilience. The Mayport Waterfront Partnership is working to advance a revitalization of Mayport Village built on four authentic pillars of community heritage: Commercial Fishing, Education and Research, Eco-Tourism, and Historic & Cultural Preservation. Guided by the community’s vision and in close collaboration with the Navy, the City of Jacksonville, and others, the UGA Defense Community Program aims to be a credible, competent, and creative partner, harnessing the resources and expertise that can help forge a resilient future for Mayport’s next generation.
Increasing damage from storms, erosion, and tidal flooding to the roads that serve the installation threaten its long-term capacity to fulfill its military mission.
CONNECTION TO NATURE
POLLINATORS
FITNESS
FISHING AESTHETIC BEAUTY
SHORELINE PROTECTION
PLANT BIODIVERSITY
ACCESS TO WATER
INTERTIDAL HABITAT COMPLEXITY
CREATE MARSH HABITAT
FISH BIODIVERSITY
ENGINEERING WITH NATURE
BREAKWATER REEF
Retreating shorelines can threaten essential infrastructure. One of the most pressing vulnerabilities for both Mayport Village and Naval Station Mayport is shoreline retreat compromising the only road into the Village and an important access gate to the Air Station. Engineering with Nature designs that address retreating shorelines should strive to accommodate community values, such as connectivity and outdoor recreation, while also considering what habitat features and natural processes can be included that are informed by the natural history of the site. The conceptual rendering above illustrates the potential human and environmental benefits that can be achieved through nature-based infrastructure.
FOR MORE INFORMATION SCOTT PIPPIN, Defense Community Resilience Program Manager Carl Vinson Institute of Government jspippin@uga.edu BEN CARSWELL, Coastal Liaison Carl Vinson Institute of Government bcars@uga.edu
OYSTER REEFS