Ghost Forests:
Impacts of Sea-Level Rise in Coastal Virginia
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Coastal Fermentory (206 23rd St.)
Join the Newport News Green Foundation on Wednesday, October 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Coastal Fermentory (206 23rd St.) to hear from Dr. Rob Atkinson on his research focused on ghost forests and the ecological impacts of sea-level rise in coastal Virginia!
Registration required below.
This Green Drinks event is free and open to the public. Members of the Green Foundation get one free drink ticket! Not a member yet? Sign up today at the end of this form below!
About Dr. Atkinson:
Dr. Rob Atkinson is a professor of Organismal and Environmental Biology at Christopher Newport University. His research on ghost forests—areas where saltwater intrusion has killed once‐thriving Atlantic white cedar and other wetland trees—forms a central part of his work to understand and address the impacts of sea-level rise in coastal Virginia. By studying tree rings, conducting salt‐tolerance trials, and monitoring marsh erosion, Dr. Atkinson and his collaborators are documenting both the ecological change and what it will take to preserve or restore these vulnerable ecosystems.
Building on this research, Dr. Atkinson created the Fear to Hope project to involve high school and college students directly in that work. Through investigations of saltwater stress on Atlantic white cedar, testing restoration strategies, presenting findings at symposia, and helping monitor marsh health, students become active participants in understanding and addressing sea-level rise.
About the Newport News Green Foundation:
The Green Foundation is a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to transform, preserve, and promote green spaces in the City of Newport News. Visit their website to learn more.
Green Drinks is a speaker series focused on health, wellness, and the environment.