A rhetoric of ruin: Imagining and reimagining the Georgia coast

Coastal Nature, Coastal Culture had its origins in a well-received symposium on the environmental history of the Georgia coast that took place in Savannah during 2016. Scholars from around the United States made presentations on topics that ranged from Native Americans on barrier islands to the struggle over groundwater in the twentieth century. The organizers of the event were expecting a solid turnout but were surprised when over four hundred people showed up for the first presentation on a Thursday afternoon. It was an even greater surprise when most stayed until the closing at noon on Saturday.