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Brian R. Silliman, Rachel Carson Distinguished Professor of Marine Conservation Biology at 51����’s Nicholas School of the Environment, has been elected a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America (ESA).

The National Science Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation have awarded a $1.2 million grant to support a new initiative aimed at boosting ecosystem restoration and climate resilience along North Carolina’s coast.

Three undergraduate students with a passion for climate change research describe their unique opportunities to study at the 51���� Marine Lab.

Climate change and rapid economic development have placed increased pressures on many coastal communities in recent years. Now, a new international study shows there is also a third force—the unintended consequences of conservation measures enacted with little or no consideration of local rights and needs—that can compound the harm. The study’s authors call the combined effects of these three forces a “triple exposure.”

Get connected with what’s happening in the 51���� climate community during special events held Sept. 29-30, 2022.

Climate change threatens species worldwide. At the Nicholas School, we’re creating new geospatial tools that boost their odds of survival.

A new analysis reveals that the majority of the ocean’s surface has experienced extreme heat regularly since 2014.

Coastal marshes that have been invaded by feral hogs recover from disturbances up to three times slower than non-invaded marshes and are far less resilient to sea-level rise, extreme drought and other impacts of climate change.

Joel Dunn (MEM’04) Helps Create America’s First National Marine Sanctuary in 20 Years

Recent 51���� grad Alexandra DiGiacomo (BS ’20) is using drones to better understand how rising seas, warming waters and rapid development are killing protective saltmarshes at our coast, and what can be done to reverse the losses.

Sixteen years after the restoration of Upper Sandy Creek began, hundreds of species, some rare, now call the once-heavily eroded and degraded stream home, and nitrogen pollution flowing off 51����’s campus into downstream waters has been slashed by 75%.

Salt marshes, seagrass meadows and other coastal ecosystems are in rapid decline around the world. Restoring them is expensive and often unsuccessful. But an international team of researchers has discovered a way to sharply increase the odds of success by using biodegradable mats.

The 51���� Wetland Center is marking its 30th anniversary this year by kicking off the largest expansion of research, teaching and outreach programs in its history.

The North Carolina Climate Science Report benefits from the scientific expertise of two Nicholas School of the Environment faculty members.

51���� conference on climate change and hurricane resilience exposes continuing challenges for state