Ghost forests consist of dead trees adjacent to marshes, and are a striking feature of low-lying areas of the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. Dr. Matthew Kirwan will present his research explaining why ghost forests are the most prominent indicator of climate change on the east coast. Though ghost forests are a stark reminder of land that was dry and useable just a generation ago, Kirwan will also explain how they are a surprising sign of ecological resilience in times of rapid change.

Matthew Kirwan is an Associate Professor at Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary. His work about the impacts of sea level rise on coastal communities and landscapes has been featured in media outlets around the world, including TIME, CNN, and The New York Times, and he is a recent recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, the U.S. government’s top award for young scientists.

The conversation will be moderated by Colin Norman, the former News Editor at Science, and Fred Dylla, Executive Director Emeritus of the American Institute of Physics and author of Scientific Journeys. This event is part of the series Science and Society - Making Sense of the World Around Us, launched by the Lewes Public Library last year and co-organized by Fred Dylla and Linda Dylla.

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