For a Flourishing Planet

“Marshes are some of the most important ecosystems on the planet,” Molino says. “They provide habitat for numerous species, like the blue crab, reduce storm impacts by acting as a buffer to waves, function as a filter to keep the bay clean, and play a crucial role in carbon sequestration, helping to combat global warming.”

But sea-level rise poses an existential threat for these marshes, which can only survive for so long before they are inundated by too much water and drown. In the Chesapeake Bay region, where 1.5 million acres of low-lying wetlands face sea-level rise three times faster than the global average, this problem is particularly pressing.

Drawing on geospatial data, tide gauge records, historical maps and sediment cores pulled from the ground, Molino constructs a picture of what the future may look like for the Chesapeake marshes.

Amidst a sea of negative climate news, her findings paint a hopeful picture. A 2022 research paper, for which Molino was the lead author, suggests that new marshes could fully compensate for those lost in the Chesapeake Bay region.

The formation of new marshes is already taking place, creating what are known as “ghost forests” — swaths of dead trees where sea-level rise increases salt levels to a concentration at which trees cannot survive.

In the Chesapeake Bay region, more than 80,000 acres of forest have turned to marsh in the last 150 years. While not boding well for the forests, the shift is beneficial for the marsh ecosystems, maintaining the vital ecological functions they provide.

But it’s not just marshes and forests that are changing. Conversations with farmers in the Chesapeake Bay area raise complex questions about their future on the land. To better understand the full picture for landowners, Molino has taken classes on land-use law and will graduate with a sub-concentration in marine policy, a specialization made possible through a collaboration between W&M Law School and what is now the Batten School & VIMS.

“VIMS is such a special place because the focus is applied and relevant to the real world,” says Molino. “During my Ph.D. program, I’ve been able to talk to farmers, lawyers and economists. Each conversation helps me put together a new piece of the puzzle.”

Speaking at conferences, Molino discusses the global implications of her work. At the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in December 2024 — which drew a crowd of over 30,000 attendees from more than 100 countries — she presented on her research and shared ideas with scientists from across the U.S. and the world.

It’s a bittersweet time for Molino. Nearing the end of her graduate studies, she looks forward to coming back and seeing how the science and facilities at the Batten School & VIMS have grown thanks to the historic $100 million donation from philanthropist Jane Batten HON ’17, L.H.D. ’19 in July 2024.

“This extraordinary gift is a well-deserved validation of the decades of impressive research carried out at this special place for the betterment of the bay — with impacts for the entire world.”

Restoring Freshwater Flow

Sara Gottlieb ’94 dreamed of becoming a marine scientist, but her journey took an unexpected turn inland. As a conservationist at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the world’s largest environmental nonprofit, she began working in the Appalachian watersheds in northern Georgia. Captivated by the unique charm of Appalachian aquatic life and seeing a critical need for more conservation resources in this region, she became TNC’s Southern Appalachians freshwater director in 2023. While focused on implementing work in the Southern Appalachians (Virginia and below), Gottlieb coordinates with a team across 18 states and three Canadian provinces, from Nova Scotia to Alabama, to protect aquatic biodiversity while balancing the needs of human communities.

Gottlieb’s journey with TNC began during her undergraduate years at William & Mary. During an internship with the nonprofit, she spent a summer working in their science department learning data management tools for habitat conservation. That experience helped her land her first job after graduate school and eventually led her back to TNC, where she started working full time in 2007 as part of the Georgia Chapter.

Healthy freshwater systems have clear, cool and free flowing water, says Gottlieb. However, according to the National Aquatic Barrier Inventory, nearly a million dams, culverts and other barriers cut across waterways in the U.S., blocking the migration of fish and other species. For animals that need to move to reproduce, find cooler water and hide from predators, these barriers can seriously impact populations and survival.

“A key part of my work at TNC is restoring aquatic connectivity — ensuring rivers and streams flow freely without infrastructure blocking the movement of species,” says Gottlieb.

In the case of certain dams, this work is also critical to protect people. Low-head dams run across rivers and streams, altering the height of the water, while still allowing it to flow over the dam’s crest. Downstream, this creates a strong, churning current that, if a person is caught inside, can be deadly.

“There are tens of thousands of low-head dams across the U.S.,” says Gottlieb. “Many of them were built decades ago to power mills that are no longer in use. Not only do they inhibit fish movement and degrade ecosystems, but they pose a serious safety risk to people.”

According to research from Brigham Young University, these dams have caused over 1,000 drowning deaths in the U.S.

When Gottlieb became director of freshwater science and strategy for TNC’s Georgia Chapter in 2016, only one major dam removal project had been completed to restore aquatic connectivity: the removal of two dams from the Chattahoochee River. It was a win for humans and fish alike.

“The project restored wildlife habitat, eliminated safety hazards and revitalized the local economy,” says Gottlieb. “It also opened up the world’s longest urban whitewater rapid course, attracting paddlers from all over and helping the community generate $4 million to $7 million annually.”

From 2015-2023, Gottlieb was a founding co-leader of the Georgia Aquatic Connectivity Team (GA-ACT) to further dam removal efforts. A partnership of state and federal agencies, universities, conservation groups, environmental engineers and more, GA-ACT works to identify high-priority dams for removal, secure funding for these projects and manage the projects.

One of Gottlieb’s proudest conservation moments was in 2021, when she led a project to remove three dams on TNC-owned land at the Chattahoochee Fall Line. Working with professors and students from Columbus State University’s Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Gottlieb was able to document the impact of this work on the local habitat and species movement and see the positive impact of the restored streamflow.

While in Georgia, Gottlieb worked on conservation initiatives across the entire state, including coastal and marine projects. But over time, she found herself drawn to freshwater work in the Southern Appalachian region, in part because of the area’s incredible aquatic biodiversity.

Collaborating with government agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Gottlieb helps to direct federal funding to this region to improve the health of the watersheds, making them habitable for animals and safe for people. Continuing the theme of aquatic connectivity, an important part of this work focuses on barrier removal. Unassuming and often unnoticed, a ubiquitous culprit in the Southern Appalachians is the culvert.

“Many culverts were poorly designed and create a barrier as significant as a dam for many fish and other organisms, as well as presenting a risk to people,” she says. “During high rainfall, like we saw recently with Hurricane Helene, undersized culverts are unable to channel a large volume of water, which can lead to roads washing out, preventing people from evacuating and vital emergency services from getting where they need to go.”

Updated culvert designs now ensure safer crossings for humans and wildlife alike, and restoration projects are ongoing in many states.

Gottlieb’s commitment to the environment doesn’t stop when she signs off from work. An avid gardener, she immediately grabs her gloves and heads outside to tend the fruits, flowers and herbs in the community garden she manages.

Her advice for those looking to make a difference in the environment is to spend more time in nature.

“Whether it’s hiking, birdwatching or gardening, spend time outside doing something you enjoy. Really pay attention to your surroundings. Notice what you see and what is missing, what’s beautiful and perhaps what’s wrong. The closer your bond with nature, the more likely you are to work to protect it.”

Completing her Ph.D., Spencer faced another decision, to stay in the academic world of research or choose another path. Looking through job advertisements, she came across a listing for what is her current role at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Now, Spencer spends her days educating the public about the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep ocean habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a nice blend of spending time in the field and writing. She turns her storytelling skills in another direction as well, writing children’s books about marine life, including one about coral reefs and another about octopuses.

Living far away from her alma mater, Spencer nevertheless stays closely connected to her Tribe family. She chats with former professors, including Ann Marie Stock. She scans social media for campus news. She keeps a framed rendering of the Wren Building on her mantel, as a little piece of home. She’s also volunteered to speak on a panel of W&M women as part of a Road to Women’s Weekend event taking place at the National Aquarium in May. Trips to that very aquarium helped ignite Spencer’s passion for marine science — a passion she now hopes to pass along to others.

Spencer is thrilled to see W&M’s growing investment in conservation.

“There are so many classes that students have access to now that I would have just devoured,” she says. “It makes me proud, knowing that the future of marine science is going to be filled with W&M graduates.”

Still mentoring students at William & Mary, professor Ann Marie Stock is proud to have played a role in helping Spencer find her passion.

“Finding a career path that combines your passions can feel daunting, but it’s often where the most meaningful work happens — and where you will make the most significant contribution,” Stock says. “Erin’s persistence, creativity and openness to exploring both science and storytelling led her to a path that truly resonates with who she is — and that’s inspiring.”

Promoting Biodiversity

Conservation can be a bad word, says Sarah Wyatt ’06. It has often been associated with displacement — evicting communities from their lands and restricting access to vital natural resources in the name of preservation.

As a senior biodiversity specialist at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Wyatt strives to chart a different path for conservation. Advancing sustainable biodiversity initiatives and building partnerships with Indigenous communities and global stakeholders, she works toward a future where humans and nature thrive together.

“I’ve never been a one-interest sort of person,” Wyatt says. It’s a quality that has served her well in her conservation career.

When asked who she wanted to be when she grew up, 6-year-old Wyatt would confidently say “an ichthyologist” and excitedly explain this meant she wanted to study fish.

Growing up in Northern Virginia, she also developed an avid interest in government and international politics, taking part in Model United Nations. While most students focused on war and peacekeeping, she concentrated on the environment and health.

As a third-generation William & Mary student, Wyatt delved further into her interests as a biology and government double major. She was involved in the international relations club and took a graduate-level course on climate change policy with students from VIMS and the university’s public policy program.

Wyatt also studied abroad for two summers. In Monteverde, Costa Rica, she delved into a question fundamental to her work today: How can you ensure people have a good life while living alongside biodiversity?

“My time in Costa Rica was when I really learned what conservation was all about,” she says. “It’s the intersection of the political, governmental, human, economic and ecological. It has so many facets and dimensions. As someone who has always been interested in seeing the connections among systems both natural and human, conservation work really appealed to me.”