Resilience in Georgia can mean many different things, from installing community microgrids that keep the lights on after a storm to upgrading infrastructure to withstand flooding to preserving the fragile coastal wetlands that buffer us from severe storms. Resilience is about preparing our communities, protecting our ecosystems, and building systems that can withstand and recover from challenges.

That’s exactly what the upcoming Georgia Resiliency Conference is designed to spotlight. Hosted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the event will bring together policymakers, business leaders, researchers, community advocates, and everyday citizens to learn from more than 100 Georgia-based projects already making our state stronger.

Recently, longtime climate justice advocate Eriqah Vincent sat down with Jennifer Kline, Coastal Hazards Specialist with Georgia DNR’s Coastal Resources Division, to talk about the importance of resilience and why the conference matters now more than ever.

Watch the video above to hear the full conversation, or keep reading to learn more about the Georgia Resiliency Conference and why protecting wetlands is a key element in building climate resiliency in our state.

Coastal Challenges, Local Solutions

Jennifer has spent nearly 25 years working with Georgia’s coastal communities, where flooding is a regular occurrence. She explained that, unlike inland regions, the coast faces multiple types of flooding, from storm surge to high tides that can combine with rainfall to overwhelm infrastructure.

“Until recently, we haven’t had a lot of efforts to update infrastructure to adapt to those changes,” Jennifer said. “Our local governments are now really working on how to adapt and mitigate, especially with infrastructure upgrades.”

Her team has also led groundbreaking efforts in planning. After seeing the devastation caused in mid-Atlantic states by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the Coastal Resources Division launched a decade-long project to create disaster recovery and redevelopment plans for all 11 coastal counties—making Georgia the first state to have a fully resilient coast based on FEMA’s national framework.

That work has had ripple effects: when Hurricane Michael devastated southwest Georgia, the state emergency management agency used DNR’s coastal template to build recovery plans for inland counties as well.

>> Learn more about other unique efforts to build resiliency along the Georgia coast.

Wetlands: Nature’s First Line of Defense

One of Jennifer’s priorities is protecting wetlands, which she described as essential for both ecosystems and people.

“Wetlands are our storage for water--that’s natural storage,” she explained. “They filter our water, provide habitat, stabilize shorelines, and absorb storm energy. Our marshes and beaches are our first line of defense from storms.”

As sea levels rise, Georgia’s salt marshes are already migrating inland. Ensuring they can continue to do so without barriers will be critical to reducing erosion and protecting coastal communities.

Spotlighting Success at the Conference

The Georgia Resiliency Conference has been held only twice before—first in 2016 and again in 2021—but each time it has drawn an enthusiastic and diverse audience. This year, the event returns to Jekyll Island on October 20–21, 2025.

Jennifer noted that the format is intentionally project-focused: “Our goal has always been to highlight the work being done in our state to address coastal hazards and build resilience. A lot of people don’t know about it, and this is our chance to showcase it.”

Attendees can expect presentations on 108 Georgia projects and 11 from outside the state that offer lessons worth bringing home. The conference will also feature keynote talks from Dr. Wayne Clough, former Georgia Tech president and secretary of the Smithsonian, and Monica Thornton, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Georgia.

Why Attend?

One of the most inspiring aspects of the conference is its inclusivity. Attendees range from retirees and church groups to researchers, NGOs, and city governments. “Really and truly, if you’re interested in the topic, there’s something for everyone,” Jennifer said.

Eriqah reflected that events like this remind us to focus not just on the obstacles but also on the progress. “It’s easy to get bogged down in the challenges,” she said. “The conference and the projects it highlights are a testament that real solutions are happening all across Georgia.”

Jennifer agreed, adding that the commitment she sees from communities and organizations across the state gives her hope. “People are continuing to do this work voluntarily. There are no rules, and they’re still doing it. That bottom-up approach gives me confidence we’ll see even more in the future.”

Join Us on Jekyll Island

From infrastructure upgrades to wetland protection, from grassroots organizing to statewide planning, resilience in Georgia is taking shape through collaboration and innovation. The Georgia Resiliency Conference is your chance to learn, connect, and be part of this movement.

Register today for the Georgia Resiliency Conference, October 20–21 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Be sure to visit the Drawdown Georgia booth while you’re there!

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