The Ever-Changing Georgia Coast

Explore the past, present, and future of Georgia's wetlands and their amazing flora and fauna

Journey with geotechnical engineer and Smithsonian secretary emeritus G. Wayne Clough up the coastal wetlands of his home state of Georgia as he explores how nature has transformed the coast across millions of years and how human impact continues to shape its future. Along the way he meets the conservationists, wildlife experts, and people living there today who are helping protect its natural wonders. The Ever-Changing Georgia Coast is part travelogue, part natural history, and part nature guide.

Chapters discuss the past and future of the coast and its birds, sea turtles, dolphins, whales, plants, and trees. This guided tour through the varied ecosystems of Georgia’s coastline is complemented by beautiful color images featured in a 16-page insert. With vivid writing, Clough draws on the latest research and his personal experience to document the most compelling features of the coastal plain, including:

• 70 million years of geological history
• New technologies tracking 9,000-mile migrators
• Intrepid baby turtles and talkative minke whales
• Frontline conservation efforts protecting savannas, shorebirds, and dolphins
• Fertile salt marshes and rivers

• Swamplands blooming with gorgeous mallows

• Fourteen barrier islands that line the coast

Georgia boasts some of the most vibrant interconnected ecosystems in the United States, and The Ever-Changing Georgia Coast reveals how they protect us and how we can protect them in return. This book travels by kayak, seaplane, and ATV to explore the rich geological history and fascinating ecology of this exceptional natural treasure.G. WAYNE CLOUGH is a civil engineer whose research specialty is in geotechnical engineering. He was the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 2008 to 2015 and served as president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1994 to 2008.