The Marine Institute on Sapelo Island

From North to South along Georgia's 100-mile-long coast, 14 islands of sand, beach ridge and maritime forest serve as a barrier between sea and land. Four of these are developed ( St. Simons, Tybee, Sea Island and Jekyll) and connected to the mainland by bridges. The rest are accessible only by boat (or plane):

Blackbeard, Wassaw, and Wolf islands are national wildlife refuges. Little Tybee, Ossabaw, and Sapelo are owned by the state of Georgia. The Cumberland Island National Seashore is managed by the National Park Service. Little Cumberland, Little St. Simons, and St. Catherines are privately owned.

Georgia's barrier islands, as well as those of southern South Carolina and northern Florida, are of two generations. The older islands are called Pleistocene in reference to the geologic period in which they were formed. Examples of Pleistocene islands include Sapelo and St. Simons, formed 35,000 to 40,000 years ago. The "younger" barrier islands are referred to as Holocene. Examples include Little St. Simons, Sea, and Wassaw islands, which formed 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. The Pleistocene islands tend to be flatter with well-developed soils, whereas the Holocene islands have many dune ridges and poor soils.

Sapelo is the home of the University of Georgia Marine Institute

The mission of the Institute is to support and conduct basic research on coastal processes involving the unique ecosystems of the Georgia coastline. UGAMI’s mission is also to provide access and facilities for graduate and undergraduate classes to experience field research and gain an appreciation of the Georgia coast.  As a research facility literally embedded in the ecosystem of focus, UGAMI distinguishes itself with a long history of coastal research by resident and visiting researchers in a broad range of disciplines. As a result, significant contributions have been made to the understanding of the links between uplands and salt marsh estuaries to the coastal zone.

A center for research and teaching, the Marine Institute is a vital a resource for scientists and students of all ages. Having grown up in Savannah, and thus spent a lot of time on Tybee, Skidaway and Wassaw, I can attest to what a treasure these islands are. Over recent years, I have been introduced to Cumberland and the importance of these undeveloped parcels of shifting sands have only grown more acute in my mind. Cumberland and Sapelo have much to tell us about our past (prehistoric as well as recent) and our future. That Franklin College faculty enjoy such a rich research base is both fortunate and of great necessity. To learn more, plan a visit and re-connect with the (is)land.