Six Months Later: What the Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium Sparked
Six Months Later:
What the Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium Sparked
It has been six months since we gathered for the Fourth Annual Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium, and the conversations that began that day are already turning into real projects, new data, and community partnerships. Below is a short impact report, with follow-ups from several speakers, updates from our Fellows, and a sneak peek at next year’s symposium, to share what’s been happening and what’s still to come.
A quick recap
The Fourth Annual Johnston Coastal Sustainability Symposium brought together researchers, practitioners, Village leaders, and community members to talk about “smart decision making” for Bald Head Island and the region. We’ve pulled together the most relevant follow-up materials and highlights below so you can explore what’s already coming out of the event.
Speaker follow-ups and materials
- Christian Preziosi, Regional Operations Manager, Davey Resource Group
Christian shared a resilience flyer with practical guidance for habitat and coastal management. This is a great primer for local decision makers and land managers.
Joseph (Joe) Long, Ph.D., Director, UNCW Coastal Engineering Program
Joe’s presentation included early results and modeling insights tied to the Frying Pan Shoals work. He also recorded a webinar summarizing sampling results to date. See related UNCW resources for more technical detail.- Chris McCall, Village Manager
Chris highlighted local Village shoreline protection resources and encouraged residents to sign up for Village updates and the Village Voice newsletter
Rusty Painter, Land Protection Director, The Conservation Fund / CTNC
Rusty shared his presentation which provides useful context on land protection strategies and examples that are relevant for our region.Samantha Mosier
Samantha pointed us to a podcast series that expands on the topics she covered and to FEMA’s National Resilience Guidance for broader planning context.Dylan McNamara
Dylan’s work and profile (UNCW) were shared for people who want to dive deeper into coastal geomorphology and modeling approaches.
Fellow updates: how the Johnston Fellowship is making a difference
The Johnston Graduate Fellowship in Coastal Sustainability was created to bring emerging coastal scientists and engineers to Bald Head Island for hands-on research that directly supports the Conservancy’s mission. Fellows conduct fieldwork, lab analysis, and community engagement projects designed to monitor, protect, and restore the island’s natural resources. Their work is critical for translating cutting-edge science into practical tools and guidance that help the Village, the Conservancy, and regional partners plan for climate change, sea level rise, and ecosystem resiliency.
Brittany Morse, 2024–25 Johnston Graduate Fellow
Brittany’s fellowship focused on marsh resiliency monitoring and protocol development. Her final report and slides document sampling methods and baseline vegetation and soil results that the Conservancy will use for ongoing monitoring. These protocols make it easier for staff and interns to gather consistent data over time, which is a practical win for long-term planning.
Gabrielle (Gabie) Krueger, 2025–26 Johnston Graduate Fellow
We’re thrilled to spotlight Gabie Krueger from Georgia Institute of Technology, the recipient of the 2025–26 Johnston Graduate Fellowship in Coastal Sustainability. Her project, The role of Spartina-invertebrate-microbiome interactions in the resilience and restoration of salt marshes on Bald Head Island, is already producing hands-on results.
A few things Gabie and the Conservancy team have accomplished this year:
- Field sampling at marsh sites with and without mussel aggregations to collect elevation, plant density, invertebrate counts, nutrient data, and microbiome samples.
Laboratory analysis of microbial activity and community composition to understand how microbes and invertebrates support Spartina (smooth cordgrass) health.
Training opportunities: Conservancy interns and technicians learned state-of-the-art sampling and lab techniques during the fieldwork.
Building monitoring capacity: two of the sites Gabie sampled this summer will receive Surface Elevation Tables (SETs) this fall to measure marsh elevation changes over time. These SETs will provide critical long-term data to pair with our monitoring and regional water level records.
Gabie’s project builds directly on the work started by Brittany Morse and helps create a marsh observing system that will be useful for the Village, scientists across North Carolina, and anyone studying sea level rise impacts on barrier island marshes. The project is funded in part by SECOORA, and data will feed regional models and decision tools.
Early impact: what we’re already seeing
Monitoring capacity improved: Protocols and field training from the fellowship work have already improved the Conservancy’s ability to collect repeatable, long-term marsh data.
Data informing planning: UNCW’s sampling and modeling work (presented at the symposium) is informing conversations about local shoals and shoreline processes that affect decision-making.
Stronger partnerships: The symposium created clearer lines of collaboration among university researchers, conservation practitioners, and Village leadership, which speeds up how we turn data into local action.
Sneak peek: next year’s symposium
We’re already thinking ahead. The Johnston Center continues to host the symposium each year as a forum to share science, policy, and practical solutions for coastal sustainability. Keep an eye out for the official Save-the-Date and registration details, and we’ll share themes and registration links as they’re finalized.
