/living-on-the-edge Florida is the most vulnerable state in the nation for the risks associated with living on barrier islands. In the fall of 2022, Hurricane Ian blazed a reminder of the dangers — and a warning for the future. Climate change is making island living even riskier, scientists say. On the six-month anniversary of the storm's strike, environmental journalism students in the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications report on the state’s barrier islands. en-US WLRN Wed, 05 Apr 2023 19:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-04-05/living-on-the-edge-climate-the-cape-and-community NASA and the city of Cape Canaveral are working with citizens on immediate and long-term solutions to sea-level rise. Wed, 05 Apr 2023 19:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-04-05/living-on-the-edge-climate-the-cape-and-community John Watson | WUFT /environment/2023-04-05/living-on-the-edge-buying-time Inhabited and uninhabited, barrier islands move. They will need fortification to survive predicted increases in sea level rise. Wed, 05 Apr 2023 19:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-04-05/living-on-the-edge-buying-time Delaney Currie | WUFT /environment/2023-04-04/living-on-the-edge-for-a-better-future-florida-start-with-better-buildings What would it look like to shift from risky development and wasteful design? Some of the world’s most forward-thinking designers weigh in. Tue, 04 Apr 2023 19:54:22 GMT /environment/2023-04-04/living-on-the-edge-for-a-better-future-florida-start-with-better-buildings /environment/2023-04-04/living-on-the-edge-the-ultimate-test Solar-powered Babcock Ranch came through Hurricane Ian with minimal damage and no flooding. Its developer believes it can inspire sustainable development in interior Florida. Tue, 04 Apr 2023 19:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-04-04/living-on-the-edge-the-ultimate-test /environment/2023-04-03/living-on-the-edge-building-noahs-ark Should humans rescue animals from the perils of climate change? Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:40:38 GMT /environment/2023-04-03/living-on-the-edge-building-noahs-ark Uma Raja | WUFT /environment/2023-04-03/living-on-the-edge-animal-islanders From coyotes to gopher tortoises and beach mice, many animals make their home on Florida’s barrier islands. Humans helped draw animals to these fragile habitats. Now, we’re squeezing them out. Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:36:01 GMT /environment/2023-04-03/living-on-the-edge-animal-islanders Marielle Zuber | WUFT /environment/2023-03-31/living-on-the-edge-shifting-sands Florida’s barrier islands have always been worth the risk to the hundreds of thousands of people living on them. After Hurricane Ian, will Southwest Florida’s islands ever be the same? Fri, 31 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-03-31/living-on-the-edge-shifting-sands Abigail Hasebroock | WUFT /environment/2023-03-31/living-on-the-edge-paradise-in-peril A new data analysis shows that population is surging on Florida’s barrier islands despite rising seas and worsening storms. Florida politics and policies continue to champion the growth. Fri, 31 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-03-31/living-on-the-edge-paradise-in-peril /environment/2023-03-30/living-on-the-edge-the-psychology-of-risk Why do people defy evacuation orders? The answers involve the psychology of risk. Hurricane Ian’s destruction may help change Floridians’ propensity to ride out hurricanes. Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:06:04 GMT /environment/2023-03-30/living-on-the-edge-the-psychology-of-risk Ana Clara Mattiuzzi Martins | WUFT /environment/2023-03-30/living-on-the-edge-leaving-atsena-otie An entire town of Floridians abandoned their barrier island in the wake of a major hurricane in the nineteenth century. Historians urge us to remember their decision — but memory is a fickle thing. Thu, 30 Mar 2023 12:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-03-30/living-on-the-edge-leaving-atsena-otie Stephanie Castellano | WUFT /environment/2023-03-29/living-on-the-edge-everything-old-is-new-again Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida in the same place where Florida’s powerful Calusa natives lived over 2,000 years ago. From dealing with sea level fluctuations to a massive hurricane around A.D. 300, their fishing and building adaptations can teach us about dealing with coastal change. Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:00:00 GMT /environment/2023-03-29/living-on-the-edge-everything-old-is-new-again Emma Barrett /environment/2023-03-28/living-on-the-edge-losing-history Climate change threatens not only the future of Florida’s barrier islands, but all they hold about the past. Tue, 28 Mar 2023 20:20:49 GMT /environment/2023-03-28/living-on-the-edge-losing-history Gabrielle Thaw