A Piece of Florida's Natural Heritage Surrounding God's Treehouse

SIESTA KEY CHAPEL OUTSIDE

THE PROBLEM & THE OPPORTUNITY

Hurricance Helene and Milton brought saltwater intrusion, then 100+ mph winds!
In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck Siesta Key within two weeks of each other. Storm surge from Helene pushed saltwater nearly two feet inland near the chapel, damaging tree roots. Milton followed with strong winds that broke branches from live oaks and slash pines, compounding the damage to the hammock ecosystem and further stressing the remaining trees.
This community-led effort will help establish best practices for selecting and restoring vegetation that is resilient to coastal winds and saltwater conditions!

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USF PARTNERSHIP WITH SK CHAPEL

A local ecosystem transforms into a living field laboratory for USF students

April 16, 2026
When Karen Atwood, assistant instructor of Biology, was forwarded an inquiry from Siesta Key Chapel about biome restoration needs, she knew this would be a complex, long-term challenge. She also knew this was the type of opportunity that didn’t come around often.

“As a biology instructor,” said Atwood, “I’m always looking for ways to move beyond the traditional classroom and give students meaningful, hands-on experiences. This project transforms a local ecosystem into a living field laboratory.”

“In addition to the gopher tortoise preserve on our campus that our students and faculty maintain and study, this new partnership is another great opportunity for students to apply what they have learned in the classroom,” said Associate Dean Paul Kirchman.

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