Florida Atlantic University (FAU) professors and students in Urban and Regional Planning and Architecture have participated in efforts that focus on the restoration of North Fork of the New River, and its neighboring community.  Their revitalization efforts attempt to address physical and socioeconomic issues, such as pollution, public awareness, and community participation. 

Part of the pollution problems of the river are the amount of debris that its waters receive.  For years, the waterway has been the receptacle of careless people that dumped appliances, furniture, tires, and other objects to the river.  In addition, storm water runoff has been a steady provider for trash and debris to the waterway.  During a five-week period in April and May of 2000, 1,900 bags of garbage were removed from the North Fork of the New River, which became the first waterway adopted under Broward County’s Adopt-a-Waterway program.  Volunteers from the Wild life Research Team, and students from Florida Atlantic University, became a strong volunteer base for the about monthly waterway clean-ups. 

Marci Monchek, who at that moment was a planning student, and counted with the support of faculty members like Dr. Jaap Vos, initiated what today is known as the Florida Atlantic Planning Society (FAPS) Waterway Cleanup. 

The Florida Atlantic Planning Society, which is committed to promoting excellence in planning education, training and practice; to fostering the appreciation of issues that are contained within the planning profession and related disciplines; and to organizing urban and regional planning students to combine their efforts to advance the art and science of urban planning, made the Waterway Cleanup one of its most important activities.  It certainly was a hand on work opportunity for university students with a perfect match with its mission.  As the years have passed, this activity has provided undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and other university members with opportunities that support professional growth, such as:

• Witnessing how a combination of public, private, not-for-profit, and grassroots, stakeholders focus part, or all of their efforts on the protection of the natural resources of the New River system
• Having a glimpse of the South Florida region natural environment beauty, and fragility
• Understanding the significance of building capacity in order to promote a well sound economic revitalization process for the North Fork of the New River
• Getting to know one of few communities on the region to have a well-defined historic and cultural background
• Being exposed to a variety of environmental, political, economical, and social issues that affect the river surrounding communities
• Observing environmental threats such as invasive plants, flood control structures that hinder fresh water influx, stormwater runoff, and water quality issues
• And, understanding redevelopment factors that can lead to gentrification

As the years have passed FAPS waterway cleanup has become a partner with other organizations, such as the Wildlife Research Team, South Florida Water Management District, Broward County Environmental Protection Department, Broward Urban River Trails, and Kids Ecology Corps, which are working very hard on  pollution reduction in the river.