Georgia's Fight to Save the Salt Marshes Continues to Pay Off 50 Years Later

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.

2 minute read

September 21, 2020, 11:00 AM PDT

By Lee Flannery @leecflannery


Clam Creek, located on coastal Georgia's Jekyll Island, is a popular place for birders, photographers and cyclists. Its salt marsh is a great place to watch wildlife.

Joanne Dale / Shutterstock

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.

Wednesday, September 9, 2020 in WABE

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

Aerial view of downtown Detroit, Michigan at twilight.

Detroit Launches Community Land Trust

A newly created CLT aims to support the building of affordable housing.

30 minutes ago - The Detroit News

Close-up of American flag sticker on a silver subway train.

Op-Ed: Why Mobility Is Political

The freedom to move remains unevenly distributed between people of different backgrounds.

1 hour ago - Streetsblog USA

Offshore wind turbines in water against a sunset sky

Bringing Community Voices Into Renewable Energy Planning

The MIT Renewable Energy Clinic helps coastal communities navigate the complexities of offshore wind development through neutral, inclusive engagement that surfaces local concerns and supports fair decision-making.

2 hours ago - MIT News

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO