Center for Urban River Research
The Academy's Center for Urban River Research provides an ideal laboratory for studying water quality, watershed ecology, and urban river impacts in order to recommend approaches to watershed management and sustainability of river resources. Through significant research, the Academy has conducted terrestrial and aquatic-based ecological restoration, a fish tissue study in conjunction with the University of Georgia, a Constructed Wetlands Optimization Study in partnership with the City of Augusta, and contributed to the protection of the endangered Rocky Shoals spider lily. The Center for Urban Research is currently focused on the innovative Savannah River urban corridor research study, which includes extensive biological, chemical, and physical parameter monitoring of a 22-mile river corridor. The Center continues the ecological restoration research associated with the Phinizy Swamp Wetland Mitigation Bank. In September, the Center will begin an intensive tracer study within the constructed wetland complex to develop hydrological models of the wetlands for enhanced water quality treatment. In the past 18 months, research staff have presented 8 papers at regional and national conferences. Click here to view maps, data, and abstracts associated with the Center for Urban River Research.

Center for Ecological Restoration
The Academy is advancing its mission of promoting environmental stewardship and vision of becoming an influential regional natural sciences institute by developing the Center for Ecological Restoration at the Kennecott Ridgeway Gold Mine in Ridgeway, SC. The mission of the Center is to promote science-based ecological restoration and sustainable development through applied research and multi-level environmental education. The strategy for developing the Center will focus on creating a multi-university collaborative research center supporting science-based restoration ecology. Of importance, the site will support unique large-scale restoration studies patterned on the collaborative framework of the National Science Foundation’s Long-Term Ecological Research Network. Click here to view maps, data, and abstracts associated with the Center for Ecological Restoration.

K-12 Student Data
The Academy is working on collecting and posting data from field trips, kids clubs, and Adopt-a-Stream chemical and biological monitoring. This data will allow tomorrow's scientists to take an active role in learning and research today.

Center for Urban River Research
Center for Ecological Restoration
K-12 Data