It is no surprise that the coastline around New Orleans is America’s most threatened — Hurricane Katrina revealed New Orleans’ vulnerabilities all too well. But, many readers will be surprised to learn that America’s second-most-threatened coastline is Virginia’s. As sea level continues to rise, and storms and tidal surges grow fiercer, Virginia could see a substantial amount of its beaches, salt marshes and islands disappear beneath the water.
In a short feature for Virginia Wildlife, I explore the risks posed by sea level rise, and discuss the changes that Virginia’s residents and wildlife can expect to see in the coming decades, if not sooner.
Download the full article: Virginia’s Changing Coasts

From backyards to wilderness areas, I write about how, why and where modern life interacts with the natural world. My assignments span a variety of issues, subjects and places: clouded leopard conservation in Thailand, climate change in American forests and mushroom foraging in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My work appears in magazines, websites and museum exhibits.