04/21/2026
We had the pleasure of welcoming a Dutch resiliency delegation to Bayshore Park, hosted by Kelly and Patricia of the SMDS team, bringing together leaders in climate adaptation, public works, and coastal research.
The group included Robert Proos (Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate), Dirk-Jan Walstra (Director, Deltares), Johan Verlinde (Program Manager, Rotterdam Climate Adaptation Plan), Joop Polfliet (Director of Public Works, Municipality of Rotterdam), Carolien Kraan (Senior Scientist, Deltares), and Lauren Schambach (Coastal Scientist, Deltares USA).
Bayshore Park serves as a model for how public space can function as resilient infrastructure, adapting to the realities of rising seas. The park establishes an 85-acre watershed that captures and filters runoff from the surrounding neighborhood, treating stormwater on site and reducing pollutant loads before discharge to Biscayne Bay.