Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex - Georgia

Spanish explorers called them "The Golden Isles" because of the beautiful light reflecting off the barrier islands that now make up the Savannah Coastal Refuges. Behind these Georgia and South Carolina islands lie 375,000 acres of some of the richest salt marshes in the world. In fact, they make up a quarter of the remaining salt marshes in the eastern United States. The marshes protect the shoreline from erosion, purify water by filtering out many human-induced pollutants and even serve as protective nurseries for young shrimp, crab and fish.

Herons, egrets and pelicans soar over the coastline while alligators swim below in freshwater ponds. Painted buntings, yellow-throated vireos, bluebirds and summer tanagers fill the sky with color each summer. Every winter, migrating mallards, pintails, and teal join resident wood ducks.

The Threat

Rising seas have already begun wearing away at the refuges' barrier islands and beaches. According to the EPA, sea levels are likely to rise 2-4 feet over the next century. There is a high chance that the dwindling wetlands along the Georgian coast will flood or wash away as the sea continues to rise.

Climate change is also expected to bring warmer sea temperatures and more frequent and intense storms to the barrier islands. Many species, such as the black crappie, are sensitive to changes in water temperature and may lose much of their habitat as coastal waters warm. Wetlands are vulnerable to small changes in stream flow and could be severely altered by increased rainfall. These recurring, powerful storms destroy the nests of both shorebirds and loggerhead sea turtles, adding to the other threats facing these species and dulling the luster of The Golden Isles.