When it comes to protecting the state from sea-level rise, Georgia is a step ahead of the rest thanks to a piece of legislation celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

One hundred miles of coastal salt marsh along the Georgia coast is an integral part of the fabric of the state's identity, wildlife habitat, and natural landscape. Fifty years since a Georgia law was passed to protect the marsh, residents know that the 400,000 acres of tall grasses and shallow, muddy waters are appreciated and secure.
But this wasn't always the case, says Molly Samuel. "The marsh’s value and its beauty might be taken for granted now, but in the late-1960s, there was a proposal to mine Georgia’s salt marsh. To dig it up, then fill it in."
The legislation would later prove itself to be vital to the states future as sea-level rise threatening costal communities in the United States and beyond. Georgia's marshes make up about a third of salt marshland on the Eastern Seaboard, an indispensable buffer between land and sea.
Samuel recounts the history of Coastal Marshlands Protection Act. The desire to develop Georgia's 12 islands "largely owned by wealthy families that used them as vacation destinations" and a phosphate mining proposal turned out the masses during a state hearing on the matter.
Fifty years later, Georgia has a new beast to tackle. "On the Georgia coast, sea levels are getting higher by a little over a tenth of an inch a year, adding up to close to a foot a century," writes Samuel.
Experts say that as the sea-level rises, the marshlands will inch inland. "Georgia is working on ways to adapt to and prepare for increasingly high tides, asking local governments to plan for sea level rise, and protecting open space so that the marshes can keep moving inland," Samuel says.
FULL STORY: How Georgia Protected Its Salt Marsh 50 Years Ago, And Why That’s Important For The Future

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New Trail Project Enhances Safety and Access to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
Jefferson County is improving safe access to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge with new trails, a bridge, and signage, as part of the Rocky Mountain Greenway project, ensuring environmental safety and educating visitors about the site’s history.

Wisconsin Awarded $12 Million for Brownfield Redevelopment Amid Broader EPA Budget Cuts
The EPA provided the funding to Wisconsin for brownfield cleanups in cities like Milwaukee and Racine, even as broader agency budget cuts under the Trump administration raise concerns about future environmental protection capacity.

Indianapolis Advances Plans to Expand and Connect Citywide Greenway Network
Indianapolis is developing a new Greenways Strategic Implementation Plan to expand, connect, and modernize its trail system, aiming for over 250 miles of greenways that support sustainability, mobility, and community well-being.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions