Community Partner Spotlight

Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program

The Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) serves as a trusted source for residents, businesses, industry, and the community on issues relating to preserving, restoring, improving and maintaining the natural habitat and ecosystem of the bays, estuaries and watersheds of Pensacola and Perdido Bays. PPBEP partners with UWF to provide engaging high-impact experiences for our students.

Students across multiple UWF departments have worked with PPBEP on several projects, ranging from water quality monitoring to community outreach as part of their coursework. PPBEP’s Community Grant Program has funded faculty, graduate, and undergraduate research within the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department and Biology Department to complete a characterization of microplastics in coastal waterways, analysis of long-term waterfowl data, streambank erosion monitoring, and development of a historical review of environmental changes in Pensacola and Perdido Bays, just to name a few. Department of Government students also assisted PPBEP with developing and distributing a community survey within the City of Pensacola to assess residential perceptions of climate risk.

UWF greatly values PPBEP’s partnership! To learn more about this organization, and to view upcoming internship and volunteer opportunities, please visit PPBEP’s website.