Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant is proud to celebrate the exceptional contributions of our faculty and staff who work tirelessly to fulfill our mission. This year, several team members were recognized for their outstanding service to staff, partners, and coastal communities. Here are the highlights of their achievements:

Anne Lindsay, Associate Director of Marine Education
Award: Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach

Anne Lindsay was honored with the UGA Public Service and Outreach Walter B. Hill Award for her transformative contributions to public service in Georgia. As Associate Director of Marine Education, Lindsay manages the Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island, overseeing personnel, programs, and facilities. She develops and evaluates new educational initiatives, coordinates summer marine science camps, and fosters partnerships to enhance programming. Lindsay’s leadership has significantly advanced our mission to improve the quality of life for Georgians.

Mark Risse, Director
Award: Sea Grant Association (SGA) President’s Award

Mark Risse received the prestigious SGA President’s Award for his leadership in establishing the inaugural SGA Ethics Committee. As Director, Risse oversees all aspects of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, from research and education to policy and budgetary decisions. His extensive experience at UGA and leadership within the national Sea Grant Association make him a vital advocate for regional and national coastal initiatives.

Katie Higgins, Marine Educator
Award: Georgia Association of Marine Education (GAME) Educator of the Year

Katie Higgins was named Educator of the Year at the GAME annual conference in recognition of her outstanding contributions to environmental education. Higgins is a cornerstone of our education team, teaching thousands of pre-K–12 students at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium. She has also developed outreach programs and teacher training initiatives to foster environmental literacy and workforce development. Her dedication is instrumental in promoting healthy coastal ecosystems.

Katy Smith, Water Resources Specialist
Award: Educator Spotlight by Algalita’s Wayfinder Society

Katy Smith was honored by Algalita’s Wayfinder Society for her impactful efforts in environmental education, specifically focusing on marine debris prevention and water resource protection. Smith serves as a water resources specialist and public service faculty, engaging Georgia’s teachers, students, and community members through innovative programs, curricula, and activities. Her passion for coastal ecology shines in her work, inspiring stewardship and sustainable practices. Learn more about Smith’s impact in her educator spotlight.

Mona Behl, Associate Director of Georgia Sea Grant
Award: NSF – Every Page Foundation Ocean Decade Champion

Mona Behl was one of 22 women recognized as an Ocean Decade Champion by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Every Page Foundation. This accolade supports her pioneering research on climate adaptation and workforce readiness in the geosciences. Learn more about her accomplishments here. Behl provides leadership across all facets of Georgia Sea Grant, directing research, fellowship programs, and strategic initiatives. Her work ensures that Sea Grant investments are impactful and aligned with national priorities.

Sara Karlsson, Administrative Financial Director
Award: UGA Public Service and Outreach Outstanding Customer Service Award

Sara Karlsson was recognized for her exceptional service at the UGA Public Service and Outreach Staff Awards Meeting. Karlsson supports over 40 faculty and staff, overseeing financial management, human resources, and grant administration. Her guidance is crucial to the seamless operation of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, ensuring compliance and efficiency across all administrative functions.

We are grateful for the dedication and talent of our team members, whose efforts continue to make a difference along Georgia’s coast and beyond.

Two recent graduates have been selected to work with state agencies and nongovernment organizations over the next year through the UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant State Fellowship. This program places recent graduate students in host offices, offering them hands-on experience in resource management, public outreach, strategic planning, and policy implementation. 

“By partnering with agencies on the coast, we’re able to create valuable learning experiences and foster the professional development of future coastal leaders,” said Mark Risse, director of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. 

Now in its sixth year, the fellowship, open to both in-state and out-of-state graduate students, has already supported 18 early career professionals. 

The 2024-25 fellows will work with the Jekyll Island Authority and The Nature Conservancy – Georgia.  

Daniel Harris completed his undergraduate studies in geology and zoology from the National University of Ireland, Galway. He went on to pursue a Ph.D. in ecology from UGA where he studied the interaction between Georgia’s salt marshes and oyster reefs along the coast. Harris will be working with The Nature Conservancy – Georgia. At The Nature Conservancy, Harris will be collaborating with underserved communities, aquaculture professionals, academics, and resource managers to develop a Georgia Oyster Resiliency and Management Plan for the state. 

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Georgians, making connections between people’s lives, healthy oyster habitat and how a management plan could help. It is these conversations that are shaping and guiding the development of the Georgia Oyster Resiliency and Management Plan,” said Harris.

Justin Sanclemente received his bachelor’s in zoology from West Liberty University, West Virginia, where he studied aquatic snakes. He went on to pursue his master’s from Georgia Southern University. There, he studied the evolutionary cause of color polymorphisms in the Florida scrub lizard. As a fellow with Jekyll Island Authority, Sanclemente will help track eastern diamondback rattlesnakes using radio telemetry to obtain valuable data on their ecology and life history as part of a long-term study on the island.  

“I aspire to get into the field of wildlife conservation, education, and research, and working on Jekyll is giving me amazing experiences in those areas to prepare me for my career,” said Sanclemente.

Three recipients of the Marine Education Fellowship and two international fellows from Queen’s University Belfast have joined the education team at the UGA Aquarium on Skidaway Island.

The marine education fellows are participating in a year-long program that offers early-career professionals hands-on experience in environmental education, animal husbandry and coastal extension. Fellows teach a variety of field, lab and classroom programs for visiting school groups while also assisting behind the scenes in the aquarium. Through professional development and networking opportunities, the fellows build connections with marine educators, researchers and conservationists in coastal Georgia over the course of their fellowship.

The two international fellows, joining through a collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast, are part of the university’s Marine Biology and Professional Studies degree program. This program includes a 40-week work placement where students apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings, developing skills in marine science, creative problem-solving, leadership and innovation. While working at the aquarium, the international fellows will engage in marine education and animal husbandry and conduct a short-term research project on Georgia’s coast to support their studies at Queen’s University Belfast.

Together, these five educators will contribute to the UGA Aquarium’s mission to engage the public in marine science education and promote the stewardship of Georgia’s coastal ecosystems.

Meet the 2024-2025 fellows:

Marine Education Fellow

Kira Davis is from Marietta, Georgia. She graduated with a bachelor’s in biology with an emphasis in marine biology from the University of Georgia. Davis gained interest in marine education and outreach after a study abroad program in Australia in 2022, which emphasized the importance of public education on environmental topics. She has experience studying nematode species through UGA’s Marine Science Department and has supported sea turtle research using genetic tagging at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Marine Education Fellow

Taina Sanchez is from Crestview, Florida. She graduated from University of Miami with a degree in marine biology and ecology. In college, Sanchez experienced Miami’s tropical environments, studying corals and coastal resilience, and she spent three months in the Galapagos as part of a study abroad program. Prior to the fellowship, she worked as an educator for a non-profit, serving the local watershed from the bay to the beach.

Marine Education Fellow

John Mark Polk is from Concord, North Carolina. He attended North Carolina State University and majored in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology. As an undergrad, he completed a minor in environmental education, gaining experience with citizen science projects, common curricula and volunteering with organizations focused on environmental education, such as the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Before becoming a fellow, he worked at Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge helping with education programs and day camps.

International Fellow

Kate Milne is from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is currently studying marine biology at Queen’s University Belfast. Milne enjoys sharing her passion for marine ecosystems. Through her degree, she has been involved in various research projects, including zooplankton sampling and habitat fragmentation studies.

International Fellow

Zoe Stalham is from London, England. She is majoring in marine biology at Queen’s University Belfast. She has a passion for marine research and citizen science and is particularly focused on biological oceanography and plankton studies. Her long-term goal is to pursue a Ph.D. that would allow her to conduct meaningful research and collaborate with communities to foster scientific understanding and effective communication.

Five artists from the Georgia cities of Savannah, Augusta, Kennesaw, Athens and St. Simons have launched projects that explore Georgia’s coastal culture and natural resources through UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Artists, Writers, and Scholars program.  

This program supports Georgia artists in creating professional-quality art and literature that raises awareness of the state’s marine environments, deepens understanding of its coastal communities and documents the history, culture, and heritage of Georgia’s coast.   

This marks the fourth year of the program, which has supported 14 projects, 10 of which were featured earlier this year in the “Waves of Wonder” exhibition at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum in Savannah. 

“The impact of this program has been remarkable, reaching a wide range of audiences and growing every year,” said Mona Behl, associate director of Georgia Sea Grant. “The projects have not only brought greater visibility to Georgia’s coastal ecosystems and cultural heritage but also created meaningful connections between art and science. We are excited to continue supporting artists who can inspire even more awareness and appreciation for our coastal resources.”  

This year’s projects will use a variety of art forms—including photography, film, mixed media, non-traditional techniques, and illustration—to highlight cultural connections to native plants, the challenges facing maritime forests, the history of coastal management protection, and the ecological role of oysters. 

The 2024 grant recipients include:  

Teake Zuidema, who has worked as a freelance photographer and journalist for the last 30 years, covering travel, technology, science and culture for magazines, newspapers and websites in the U.S. and Europe. In 2021, he moved to Savannah. Impressed by the beautiful coastal landscapes, he began to develop himself as a landscape photographer. From the start, he focused on trees at locations where the maritime forest is under stress because of the proximity of the sea, the beach, the marshes or civilization.  

Photograph by Teake Zuidema taken at Skidaway Island State Park.

His project, “Living on the Edge, Trees along the Georgia Coast,” will focus on trees that are dead, dying or under severe stress due to factors like erosion, saltwater intrusion, infrastructure build up, storms, pollution, dredging and sea level rise. The images are meant to evoke wonder, concerns and questions, leaving viewers with a strong impression of the fragility of the marine forests and the coast in general. The project will result in an exhibition in September 2025 at the main gallery of Arts Southeast in Savannah. 

Sam Ghioto

Sam Ghioto, a St. Simons Island native, owns Sam Ghioto Studio, a photography and videography business. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of Coastal Georgia and began his business during his final semester. His love for Georgia’s coastal landscapes and passion for visual storytelling have shaped his career, with a focus on showcasing the natural beauty and culture of the region. His collaborator, Andrew Bellacomo is a writer and director originally from Albany, Georgia, now based in Athens. With over 10 years of experience in video production, he has a deep connection to Georgia’s coastal landscape, having spent much of his life visiting the region with his family. His favorite projects often focus on environmental and historical themes, reflecting his personal passion for storytelling and his love of Georgia’s natural beauty and heritage. 

Andrew Bellacomo

Ghioto and Ballacomo’s project, “A Thousand Rivulets Run,” is a documentary film that explores the conservation of Georgia’s salt marshes, inspired by the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act. Through poetic and visually compelling imagery, the film traces the history of how Georgia’s marshes were saved from destruction in the 1970s and continues to examine current efforts to protect them. The documentary highlights the ecological, economic, and cultural importance of these marshes, from providing nutrients for seafood and protecting against storms to supporting the livelihoods of local residents. Ghioto and Bellacomo want to engage viewers with the unique beauty and significance of this ecosystem, hoping to inspire broader appreciation and conservation efforts. 

Mya Timmons speaking on a panel.

Mya Timmons, is from Townsend, Georgia. She is a freelance illustrator specializing in character design and a secretary for her family’s fourth-generation seafood business, Harris Neck Seafood. Timmons is a descendant of the Harris Neck Gullah Geechee community. In 2022, she created “The Gullah Geechee Plant Guide Coloring Book” as part of Elizabeth King’s Sea Grant-funded project, which focuses on conserving culturally significant plants in Georgia’s coastal ecosystems. Through her work on this project, she discovered a deep connection to her Gullah Geechee heritage, which now inspires much of her artistic work. 

Timmon’s project, “Gullah Geechee Plants & Culture Personified: Illustrations of the Past for the Future,” will involve creating a new coloring book with illustrated characters designed to educate others on the Gullah Geechee’s cultural ties to water-life. It will feature facts about Georgia’s coastal ecosystems as well as Gullah Geechee-rooted stories and beliefs. She hopes to deepen appreciation for Gullah Geechee culture while inspiring others to use their artistic talents to educate and celebrate their own heritage.

“Wild Georgia Oyster”, painting by Droppleman.

Beth Droppleman is a painter and sculptor living in Augusta. Formerly a French professor, she is currently a student of fine arts at Augusta University. Her debut as an artist was many years ago in Paris, as a student, where she sold paintings on the Pont des arts. After being drawn to their unique weathered and worn beauty, Droppleman began making oyster shell portraits in 2016.  

Piece by Beth Droppleman titled, “Oyster Armor”.

Droppleman’s project, “The Mighty Oyster,” features seven large oyster portraits, an oyster armor sculpture, and oyster ceramics that highlight the oyster’s critical role as a keystone species in Georgia’s salt marshes. Using mixed media and non-traditional techniques, her artwork mimics the natural growth and formation of oyster shells, drawing parallels to the ecology of the coast. The oyster armor, crafted from castaway shells and designed like medieval scale armor, emphasizes the individuality of each oyster while underscoring their collective strength—symbolizing the power of community and interconnectedness. The project is designed to evoke a sense of awe and appreciation for both the beauty and cultural significance of oysters, encouraging viewers to support the conservation of Georgia’s coastal ecosystems while fostering a deeper understanding of social justice and the importance of community.  

Four graduate students from the University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University have been selected to lead year-long coastal research projects through the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Research Traineeship. Now in its fifth year, this program has supported 30 students since 2019, providing undergraduate and graduate students with a unique opportunity to tackle real-world challenges facing Georgia’s coastal region. 

The independent projects must align with one or more of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s four focus areas: healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economies, and environmental literacy and workforce development.  

Under the guidance of university mentors and in collaboration with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant specialists, the students not only conduct independent research but also share their findings with coastal communities. 

“The traineeship is an invaluable experience for early-career professionals, giving them the chance to develop essential skills in project management, communication, and problem-solving,” says Mark Risse, director of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. “By addressing challenges identified by coastal communities, they build a strong foundation for their future careers in research, policy, and environmental management.” 

Jack Robider will graduate with an environmental engineering degree from UGA this fall and will continue for a graduate degree in civil and environmental engineering. His research focuses on developing a hydrodynamic flooding model for Glynn County and Brunswick, Georgia, a region highly susceptible to flooding due to its low elevation and proximity to the coast.  

The model Robider is building will estimate flood depths from storms and overlay them onto Brunswick’s communities, infrastructure, and Superfund sites to assess potential damage brought about by flooding and contamination. This work is important because it helps identify flood-prone areas, supports resilient infrastructure planning, and addresses compounded environmental threats like contamination from septic systems and Superfund sites.  

Mark Hoog is pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental science from Georgia Southern University. His research focuses on studying the genetic diversity and differentiation of American alligators in the Okefenokee Swamp using genetic markers to identify population structures.  

Understanding these genetic patterns is crucial for wildlife management, as it helps determine the overall health and resilience of the population. By combining genetic data with demographic information, the study will offer a comprehensive view of the population’s health, supporting better decision-making for ecosystem management and conservation efforts. 

Skyler Fox is a master’s student working toward a degree in biology at Georgia Southern University. She is studying the impact of human disturbance on restored coastal sand dunes on Tybee Island, Georgia.  

 Sand dunes provide critical ecosystem services like storm protection but are vulnerable to damage from high foot traffic, even on designated footpaths that traverse the dunes and connect parking lots to the beach. Fox is collecting sand movement and vegetation data to compare the health of the dunes at footpaths with undisturbed dune areas. The findings will help inform coastal cities on how to minimize human disturbance and protect dune ecosystems effectively.  

Zachary Gordon is a master’s student in biology at Georgia Southern University. His research investigates the threat of saltwater intrusion on Sapelo Island’s freshwater habitats, which is increasing due to climate change and coastal development.  

 The island’s history of channel modifications, which were dug to drain swamps for agriculture, has facilitated the movement of saltwater inland, impacting freshwater wetlands. Gordon will study these channels as well as freshwater wetlands that are disconnected from these channels using data loggers, leaf decomposition rates, and biological assessments to track water movement, habitat functionality, and ecosystem health. Findings will be shared with the local community experiencing these challenges in hopes of understanding how to address them.  

Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant is excited to announce Georgia Tech student Spenser Wipperfurth as the 2025 finalist for the National Sea Grant College Program’s John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.

This year-long prestigious fellowship matches current and recent graduate students with hosts in the legislative and executive branches of government. Since 1979, the Knauss Fellowship has supported more than 1,680 early career professionals who have significantly contributed to environmental policy and management and built lasting careers.

2025 Knauss finalist Spenser Wipperfurth.

Wipperfurth received her master’s degree in water resources engineering and an MBA from Georgia Tech, where she studied coastal processes, resilience, ecosystem damage mitigation and community response to climate change. She has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This past summer, Wipperfurth served as a summer scholar with the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy program. The experience allowed her to apply science and policy in addressing ocean energy and shipping regulations on the U.S. East Coast with Department of Energy officials and policymakers

She also has five years of experience working as a water resources engineer, which helped shape her understanding of how water is modeled and managed by relevant authorities. She now hopes to apply her knowledge and experience by focusing on the future of resource management, opportunities for innovation, and how to best support coastal communities.

“I have spent most of my life and collected most of my important memories on or near the water, on the rivers and lakes of the Midwest, the waterfalls of Peru, and now the Georgia coast. As a community member, I consider safe access and generational protections of water resources for myself and my neighbors as a critical part of building and maintaining healthy and hopeful lives. Since most humans live near coastlines, protecting, understanding and managing those coastlines are critical for protecting their residents. The Knauss Fellowship will give me a space to dream with those already working on these solutions and help me to further develop a network of mentors and peers to work alongside and learn from.”

Wipperfurth will join a cohort of 88 early career professionals from 70 universities, representing all eligible Sea Grant programs. Knauss Fellowship finalists are chosen through a competitive process that includes several rounds of review at both the state Sea Grant program and national levels. Students finishing Master’s, Juris Doctor (J.D.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees with a focus or interest in marine and coastal science, policy or management apply to their state’s Sea Grant programs. If applicants are successful at the state level, their applications are then forwarded to a national panel of experts who select the finalists.

This fall, the finalists will participate in a placement week to get to know each other and interview with several executive offices to determine where they will spend their fellowship, which begins in February 2025.

On the Jekyll Island pier, Addison Simmons, a rising junior at the University of Georgia, hauls up her crab net, hoping to see a flash of blue. Her excitement builds with the realization that she’s caught a female blue crab.  

With help from Lisa Gentit, a marine resource specialist at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, she learns how to carefully remove the crab from her net. Gentit points out some of the crab’s distinctive features, like the bright red pinchers that indicate it’s female, before releasing it back into the estuary.  

Addison Simmons takes part in catch-and-release crabbing as part of an immersive, hand-on field study on the coast.

Simmons is one of 11 UGA undergrads exploring the Lowcountry, documenting and celebrating the relationships between people and seafood as part of a service-learning domestic field study course at UGA entitled “Writing and Community at the Georgia Coast.”   

Domestic field studies integrate place-based learning across diverse U.S. locations, and service-learning courses address community needs through partnerships with local organizations and institutions. With these partnerships, students learn new topics through the lens of those who live and work in the community.   

This course was developed through a collaboration between the UGA Office of Instruction and UGA Public Service and Outreach, connecting the Office of Service-Learning, the Domestic Field Study program, and Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Course instructor Elizabeth Davis spearheaded the initiative following her participation in the first Domestic Field Study Fellows cohort. 

“It’s been incredible. This is what I imagined—learning firsthand what goes on in these communities, what they’re like, what their concerns are,” says Davis, who coordinates the Interdisciplinary Writing Certificate program at UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. “Concerns vary from place to place, yet they are all connected by some very strong threads.”  

Davis developed the concept after teaming up with faculty at Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. The organization’s long history of working with Georgia’s fishing communities made it an ideal partner for connecting students with people whose lives revolve around safe, sustainable seafood.  

During the first half of the trip, the students stayed at South Carolina’s historic Penn Center, immersing themselves in the cultural tapestry of the Gullah Geechee community and gaining insights into its historical significance along the Georgia coast. 

Associate Director of Extension Bryan Fluech gives students a tour of a working waterfront in Brunswick.

The second half took them to various UGA coastal campuses, including Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s facilities on Skidaway Island and in Brunswick, as well as UGA’s Marine Institute on Sapelo Island. They explored the saltmarsh, which is vital to seafood like fish, crabs and shrimp. They participated in activities like crabbing and seining, where they learned how to identify marine life and experience seafood harvesting firsthand.  

The students also engaged with coastal residents with links to seafood—from harvesters and aquaculturists to chefs and conservationists—who shared their expertise and experiences.  

“These opportunities to immerse are key to service-learning,” says Davis. “Understanding what a community is asking you to help them with, as writers, you really need to be on the ground.”   

Students learned about Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s work to bring sustainable oyster aquaculture to Georgia and help commercial fishermen navigate changes to the industry.  

Laura and Perry Solomon, owners of Tybee Oyster Company, spoke with the class about challenges they faced launching the first floating cage oyster farm in the state. They credited Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Shellfish Research Lab, which produces and sells oyster seed and advises shellfish farmers on best practices for growing shellfish, with helping them navigate the oyster farming process.  

Bruce Collins talks with students during their visit to the City Market Dock.

The students also toured City Market Dock in Brunswick, a seafood business that operates one of the few remaining commercial fish houses where fishermen can offload their catch. Bruce Collins, fish house manager, discussed issues facing the commercial industry, including competition with imported shrimp, rising fuel costs and a diminishing workforce.  

In between activities, students spent time in reflective writing workshops, developing pieces inspired by their experiences. 

April Cerritos, a rising sophomore double majoring in English and comparative literature, had never been to the Georgia coast.  

“I didn’t expect to see so many local, smaller fishermen supporting themselves and their families, and smaller communities,” says Cerritos, who plans to go into book publishing.  

April Cerritos shows off the blue crab she caught at the Jekyll Island Pier.

By sharing her experience and what she learned through the course, Cerritos hopes that her writing encourages people to buy local seafood and research places before traveling.    

“One thing I’m going to do before I ever visit a place again as a tourist is research the communities there,” says Cerritos. “That’s what I really want to inspire people to do—learn more about the places they’re going.”  

By the end of the course, the students had crafted insightful texts illuminating the resilience and interconnectedness of coastal communities. Perhaps even more exciting for Davis was seeing the transformative impact of experiential learning on the students and the special bond they cultivated during the trip. 

“I hope they take away the community that they formed here as a group, and the realization that you form communities wherever you go throughout life,” says Davis. “That experience of bonding, as a community, with shared interests and concerns is really important.” 

Students participating in the course break for a photo with their instructor, Elizabeth Davis, and staff from Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

Read pieces written by students Addie Simmons and Theron Camp on Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Student Blog at https://gacoast.uga.edu/studentblog.  

Rhonda Waller has two rain barrels behind her house in the Urbana-Perry Park neighborhood of Brunswick. The stormwater runoff they collect waters her yard and outdoor plants.

She got a third one at a recent rain barrel and rain garden workshop, and plans to use that one to provide water to a drip irrigation system for her rain garden, which stretches across the front of her one-story ranch house.

The rain garden, a mix of native plants resistant to heat and drought, is over a trench layered with rocks, sandy soil and mulch to filter any pollutants from the rainwater before it slowly seeps into the ground.

William Kitts, a resident in the Urbana-Perry Park neighborhood, tends to his rain garden.

Waller and five of her neighbors installed rain gardens as part of the Coastal Georgia Rain Garden program, created by University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Collectively, the Urbana-Perry Park rain gardens infiltrate more than 200,000 gallons of stormwater annually.

“We did it as a community, we helped each other,” Waller said. “We have to do something.”

Since 2016, stormwater management experts from UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant have been working with coastal communities to address challenges caused by heavy rain events, exceptionally high tides and sea level rise. While large scale projects, such as replacing underground drainage systems with larger pipes, require extensive engineering and substantial funding, green infrastructure projects can be done “in-house” with city work crews, in partnership with UGA.

The city’s “Rethinking Runoff” plan, produced in 2022 by Jessica Brown, stormwater specialist with UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, introduced opportunities for Brunswick to reduce flooding and improve water quality using green infrastructure, such as bioretention cells, rain gardens, permeable pavements, rain barrels, and cisterns.

Brown shared this concept of green infrastructure feasibility planning with all of Georgia’s coastal communities. Brunswick was among the first to respond.

Severe storms have become more frequent in recent years, and sea level rise is causing water from the rivers and marshes surrounding much of Brunswick to spill over into the city during high tide.

“When it starts to rain we know we have to go close roads,” said Garrow Alberson, Brunswick’s city engineer and public works director.

“We’re seeing streets flooding at high tide that weren’t flooding five to six years ago.”

The 2018 Stormwater Master Plan for the city of Brunswick included 15 priority projects at an estimated cost of $18.4 million. The projects required large scale construction, including replacing smaller drainage pipes that can no longer accommodate the volume of water, rerouting key roadways that regularly flood or installing tide control devices in areas affected by storm surge.

Those projects can take significant time to complete. The “Rethinking Runoff” projects can be done faster, for less money and can “work to take the demand off these systems,” Alberson said.

Garrow Alberson (left) talks with Jessica Brown (second from right) and City of Brunswick Public Works crew about plans for a green infrastructure project.

Working with consultants contracted by the city of Brunswick, Brown used online data to determine the soil suitability for infiltration in vulnerable areas, and looked at GIS data to calculate the amount of stormwater runoff from impervious ground cover. Through the analysis, they identified 28 sites suitable for green infrastructure improvements.

Students in a landscaping course through the Job Corps Center in Brunswick assist with planting the bioretention cell at Howard Coffin Park.

An earlier pilot project proved the effectiveness of green infrastructure. Brown worked with the city in 2018, long before the “Rethinking Runoff” plan, to install a bioretention cell at Howard Coffin Park. Two years later, Brown secured funding for a monitoring project adding equipment, wells and rain gauges, that show the bioretention cell is doing what it’s supposed to. Between August 2020 and December 2021, 83.6% of the runoff from the surrounding area was infiltrated by the cell.

The city is now working to implement green infrastructure projects at other sites identified in Brown’s “Rethinking Runoff” plan, including installing permeable pavement for parking at Goodyear Park, which previously had no dedicated parking; and replacing a concrete parking area with permeable material at Liberty Ship Park, next to the Sidney Lanier Bridge. The city plans to install two bioretention cells at Liberty Ship Park around existing storm drains. Also in the works is a plan to install permeable pavement at the vehicle parking lot next to Fire Station 1 downtown.

UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant has been promoting the success of the demonstration projects as well as other stormwater initiatives, like the rain garden program, to spread awareness about the importance of green infrastructure. Brown partners with private sector, nonprofit, and state agencies to host workshops, and stays connected to the city’s Neighborhood Planning Assemblies. She attends local, statewide and even national meetings to share efforts underway on the Georgia coast to address stormwater challenges.

The green infrastructure projects are a good way to educate people about stormwater mitigation because they can see examples in their communities, and understand how they work, Brown said. Larger projects, like increasing the capacity of storm drains, are more difficult to understand.

“It’s hard to comprehend because all the pipe is underground,” she said.

Interest from Brunswick residents in green infrastructure has increased over the years. The topic has gained the attention of local civic, youth, and faith-based groups, such as Coastal Outreach Soccer, wanting to get involved.

Brown is also working with other departments at UGA. Earlier this year, she collaborated with UGA Professor Qiong Wang to engage landscape architecture students at the College of Environment and Design in developing green infrastructure feasibility plans for the city of Brunswick as part of their coursework. These students gain valuable skills and learn to incorporate stormwater management into future projects throughout Georgia.

State and federal grants fund many of the stormwater management projects along the Georgia coast, including the ones Brown has partnered with the city of Brunswick to implement.

“This is an unprecedented time for us,” said Brown, who has worked in water management for 15 years. “There is more federal money available than ever before. It’s great to see these dollars at work, reducing the burden for communities like Brunswick.”

See the Georgia coast anew in Waves of Wonder, Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum’s new exhibition, which opens on Wednesday, June 5, with a cocktail party at 5:30 p.m. The party is free and open to the public. The exhibition showcases a variety of inspiring works funded by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Artists, Writers, and Scholars (AWS) Program.  

Visitors to Waves of Wonder will embark on a journey of discovery where art serves as a bridge connecting humanity to the enchanting world of Georgia’s coast. Captivating and evocative imagery portrays the essence of Georgia’s coast with vibrant colors and sounds, and intricate interpretations. Whether through the brushstroke of a painting, the graceful movement of a dancer, or documentation of Black maritime history, these artists and scholars invite viewers to pause, reflect, and marvel at our region’s natural wonders. 

A Family Day event featuring artist demonstrations and activities will take place on Saturday, June 29, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.  

Josh Stutz, “Loggerhead Sea Turtle and Hatchling”, Watercolor

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant in this celebration of Georgia’s coastal culture and natural environments,” said Molly Taylor, executive director of Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. “Waves of Wonder is a beautiful blending of art and science and is a must-see program for anyone living on or visiting Georgia’s coast, especially children and families.” 

Waves of Wonder features the work of current AWS grant recipients Autumn Eckman, Peter Van Zandt Lane, Jennifer Nolan, and Josh Stutz, as well as previous award-winners Kip Bradley, Julie de Chantal and Kurt Knoerl, Alan Harvey, Barbara Mann, Dana Montlack, and Casey Schachner. Many of these awardees collaborated with coastal scientists and students in creating their final projects. 

 “The artists and scholars featured in Waves of Wonder have created amazing, awe-inspiring interpretations about scientific and cultural ideas related to our region,” said Tania Sammons, curator of Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. “Displayed together their individual subjects magnify their coastal messages and are at once visually compelling and thought-provoking.”  

The works featured in Waves of Wonder encompass a diverse range of disciplines, including painting, sculpture, photography, illustration, sound, film, and dance. Each project offers a fresh perspective on the intricate relationships that define coastal life, from the interconnectedness of animal communities to the profound connections between humans and the natural world.  

Barbara Mann, “Plankton, Doliolid”, Copper, sterling silver, brass.

Mark Risse, director of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, expresses his enthusiasm for the program’s growth and impact. “The Artist, Writers, and Scholars program has flourished over the past two years, fostering meaningful collaborations between the art community and coastal advocates,” says Risse. “Through Waves of Wonder and similar outreach efforts, we aim to engage audiences in critical coastal issues while celebrating the creativity inspired by our marine environments.” 

Admission to the exhibit is included with general museum admission. For more information, please visit https://www.shipsofthesea.org/. 

To learn more about the Artists, Writers and Scholars program, visit https://gacoast.uga.edu/research/funding/aws-program/ 

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Media Contact: Emily Kenworthy
ekenworthy@uga.edu
c: 336.466.1520

About Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum 

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum was founded in 1966. The museum exhibits ship models, paintings, and maritime antiques, and interprets the rich story of Savannah’s illustrious maritime history. Ships of the Sea is housed in the William Scarbrough House, built in 1819, and is home to the largest private gardens in Savannah’s historic district. Many consider Ships of the Sea to be one of the best maritime museums in the country. Visit the website at https://www.shipsofthesea.org/. 

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum’s telephone for general inquiries is 912.232.1511.
The museum’s address is 41 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Savannah, GA 31401. 

The Youth Ocean Conservation Summit (YOCS) has been a driving force in educating students of all ages about environmental conservation. The main goal of YOCS is simple: to equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to protect our oceans. This is achieved through workshops and discussions led by marine scientists and conservationists, where participants collaborate to develop conservation projects for their communities. 

 Since its inception in 2011 at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, YOCS has expanded its reach, establishing satellite locations across the United States. In 2014, Sean Russell, the founder of YOCS, spent a year at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Savannah, Georgia, as part of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Marine Education Fellowship. During this time, Russell, with other Marine Education Fellows, laid the groundwork for Georgia’s first summit. Since then, the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium has been hosting the annual event, bringing new themes and workshops each year, tailored by the current cohort of Marine Education Fellows. 

YOCS participants get hands-on in an algae clay activity.

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Georgia summit and was themed “Leaders in Coastal Resilience.”  The summit welcomes youth ranging from 5th grade through college. This year, 41 participants from all over Georgia gathered to learn from local marine scientists and conservation leaders.   

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund and The Webster Family provided financial support of this year’s summit. Together, with involved community professionals and educators, they have helped to create a platform that empowers young leaders to make a difference in their communities and contribute to the preservation of our oceans.  

The event was a uniquely special occasion as Russell, now serving as the Director of Youth Engagement at EarthEcho International, returned to deliver the keynote address, reflecting on his personal journey and the growth of the youth summit over the past decade. Hands-on workshops led by local experts covered topics such as marine debris and environmental justice, providing participants with practical knowledge to implement in the creation of conservation projects for their own communities.  

Sean Russell returned to this year’s summit as the keynote speaker.

When asked what inspired him to establish a Youth Ocean Conservation Summit in Savannah, Russell said that “bringing the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit to the Savannah area created a unique opportunity to customize the programming to connect youth in the region to the incredibly unique environments of the Georgia coast, the challenges they face, and the power of young people driving solutions to protect this area for the future. It has been incredible to see the continued growth and impact of the Savannah YOCS program over the past 10 years. Returning to the 2024 event was a reminder of the strong connections the community has to the coast, and the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, tools, and connectivity to become community leaders in coastal resilience at an early age.” 

For many attendees, the summit has become an annual tradition, offering valuable learning experiences and opportunities to connect with peers who share their passion for conservation.  

 “The Savannah Youth Ocean Conservation Summit provides the space and time for students to meet professionals working in the field, to connect and brainstorm with their peers and to find inspiration on the coast,” said Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Associate Director of Marine Education Anne Lindsay. “It’s a great way for participants and planners alike to connect with the next generation of coastal and ocean stewards.”