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The goal of the coastal resilience program is to develop and implement community-driven solutions to mitigate and adapt to coastal hazards.

In coastal Georgia, many different types of natural hazards can occur. Hurricanes, tropical storms, flooding, excessive and prolonged heat waves and drought can have potentially devastating impacts on life and property, as well as local economies and the environment. Many of these hazards are worsening due to the effects of sea level rise and climate change.

Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s coastal resilience program collaborates with national, regional, state and local partners to provide coastal communities with knowledge, data and tools needed to prepare for and recover from coastal hazards. Through research, extension and education initiatives, the coastal resilience program offers:

  • Technical expertise to advance floodplain management and community planning
  • Support for collaborative network building
  • Integrated natural and social science research on risk communication and resilience to coastal hazards
  • Training, workforce development and literacy building opportunities


Together, these efforts strengthen the economic, ecological and social resilience of Georgia, helping to support a vibrant, healthy and stable Georgia coast.

Contact
Michelle Covi
Michelle Covi
Coastal Resilience DOD Liaison
706-542-9883
mcovi@uga.edu
portrait of Meagan Jones
Meagan Jones
Coastal Community Resilience Specialist
912-262-2398
meagan.jones@uga.edu
Sydney Williams
Sydney Williams
Nature-Based Solutions Specialist
912-280-1586
slwilliams@uga.edu
Highlights
a group of people walk on a path through a military base
Building Military Community Resilience

The Coastal Resilience Department of Defense (DOD) Liaison is designed to assist military communities in becoming more resilient to coastal hazards by sharing expertise and making connections across Sea Grant, Department of Defense and community leadership. The liaison works with Sea Grant coastal resilience specialists and others across the network to leverage expertise in resilience planning, water resources management, community engagement, communication, nature-based infrastructure, conservation, floodplain management and education to advance the sustainability of coastal defense communities and ecosystems.

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a flooded parking lot
St. Marys Flood Resiliency Project

Since 2013, the City of St. Marys has partnered with University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Stetson University and North Carolina Sea Grant on flood resiliency planning. Facing nine inches of sea-level rise since 1897, the community has combined local insight and academic expertise to assess infrastructure risks and develop 50-year flood management recommendations. The effort now serves as a model for other communities across the southeastern U.S. Atlantic region.

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a flooded road in a coastal neighborhood
Community Resilience on Tybee Island

Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant has provided funding to projects designed to improve resilience on Tybee Island and partnered on several grant-funded initiatives designed to mitigate impacts of sea level rise, flooding and hurricanes. Two significant plans developed through collaborative partnerships include:

  • Tybee Island Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan – Published in 2016, the plan assesses current and future flooding risks and exploring potential adaptation actions to make the island more resilient over time.
    Read plan
  • Tybee Island Coastal Marsh and Coastal Adaptation Project – Funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the 2023 Natural Infrastructure Master Plan explores grey, green and hybrid infrastructure options, as well as policy solutions, to protect homes and infrastructure on the sound side of the island.
    Read plan
a woman smiles at a cameraman while standing on a dock
Faces of Resiliency

The Faces of Resiliency video series highlights how communities are increasing their resilience to sea level rise, storm surge and flooding. The videos feature interviews with coastal residents and researchers who share stories of adapting to coastal hazards through community engagement and collaboration with scientists, nonprofits or government agencies.

View Series

Resources

Improving Coastal Community Resilience to Sea Level Rise with Natural Infrastructure

Created by the University of Georgia Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, and the Network for Engineering with Nature, this publication is designed serve as a resource for local government, coastal landowners, members of the public, and natural resource management agencies interested in learning about the role of natural infrastructure in coastal resilience.

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Resident’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards in Georgia

The Resident’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards in Georgia is a resource developed by Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, in collaboration with several federal, state and local partners. This handbook provides detailed information on emergency preparedness, evacuation planning, and steps that residents can take to protect their life and property.

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Water Shapes Our Planet and Our Lives – Virtual Curriculum

Launched in 2021, the curriculum, “Water Shapes Our Planet and Our Lives”, provides a unique, hands-on experience where students explore local weather, discover and create tools used by scientists to collect weather data, and evaluate long-term trends recorded by climate scientists. Each lesson is designed as an online teaching resource for both educators and curious learners.

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Habitat Restoration and Living Shorelines

Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant leads habitat restoration and living shoreline projects to protect and strengthen Georgia’s coast. Learn more about how these efforts reduce erosion, create habitat and help safeguard coastal communities from storm impacts.

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