Know Your Park Coastal Geologist Dr Stanley Riggs to Speak in Rodanthe

Date: April 9, 2008
Contact: Outer Banks Group, [phone]

Continuing the second season of the Know Your Park citizen science education program series, the National Park Service Outer Banks Group is partnering with the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Civic Association (RWSCA) to host a presentation by North Carolina geologist, Dr. Stanley Riggs. Dr. Riggs will speak at the RWSCA Community Building in Rodanthe, NC on April 15 at 7 p.m. The topic will be "Climate Change and the North Carolina Coastal System – Past, Present and Future". "This is an important and relevant topic for all living on our barrier islands", announced park superintendent Mike Murray. "We are pleased to work with RWSCA in providing this program. I hope students as well as adults will take advantage of this renowned speaker coming to our communities."

Dr. Riggs, of East Carolina University, is a coastal and marine geologist who has been doing research on the North Carolina coast since 1964. His research extends from rivers, estuarine and barrier island systems to the inshore waters of the continental shelf. Dr. Riggs has been actively involved in numerous technical coastal resource issues at the federal, state, and local levels that included appointments to many commissions, task forces, panels, and committees. These appointments, as well as many of his numerous publications, have dealt directly with integrating scientific understanding with the management of coastal systems. He has been involved in such critical issues as climate change and sea-level rise, shoreline erosion, hazard zone delineation, inlet dynamics, water quality, and habitat preservation and beach nourishment. The National Park Service is helping to support an ongoing series of studies led by Dr. Riggs and other experts at East Carolina University, US Geological Survey and North Carolina Geological Survey. The intent is to gain better understanding of North Carolina’s barrier islands in light of predicted shoreline changes due to sea level rise and storms.

The Know Your Park citizen science program series is designed to further connect the Outer Banks communities and residents with the rich natural world and cultural heritage of their neighboring National Park sites; Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. "These presentations offer local residents an opportunity to both learn more about, and better enjoy, their National Parks" stated Murray.

-NPS-