Live Oaks (Quercus virginiana) Stranded and Killed by Shoreline Erosion

Observation: We hiked at the Nature Conservancy Nags Head Woods Preserve during the second week of July of 2016, and we observed apparent shoreline erosion at the beach at the end of the nature trail. Several of the trees were stranded away from shore along this shoreline, demonstrating that the shoreline had receded over time.

Nature Conservancy Consult: I spoke with Jennifer Gilbreath of the the Nature Conservancy on the phone on 14 July 2017, and she explained that these stranded trees are live oak trees, and she confirmed that these stranded trees is indeed a stark example of sea-level rise and storm impacts. She explained that sometimes they do have storms coming from the west, across the sound, and that these storms can be very damaging to the shoreline. She told me of an even more extreme example of shoreline erosion at a nearby coastal location, and we will try to find that one.

Resources:

The evidence for sea-level rises in North Carolina

Evidence of rising sea level: Coastal erosion and plant community changes

North Carolina DEC Sea Level Rise Homepage

The Changing Carolina Coast: Managing The Threat Of Rising Water

Sierra Club Sea Level Rise -- North Carolina Coastal Watch