Orrin Pilkey and Gilbert Gaul on the Future of Shoreline Development

American Shoreline Podcast Network - A podcast by The American Shoreline Podcast Network

On this week's episode of the American Shoreline Podcast, hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham welcome two legends to the show to talk about the current state and the future of the American Shoreline. Dr. Orrin Pilkey is the James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of Geology at Duke University and the author and coauthor of numerous books. His work focuses on both basic and applied coastal geology. Gil Gaul is an author and journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize twice and been a finalist four other times. Gil has served stints at The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and other papers.   How should we manage future coastal development with the prospect of higher sea levels and stronger, more frequent storms? And, how did we get here.  Pilkey  has been contemplating, researching, and writing about the topic for decades. His latest collaboration with his son, Keith Pilkey -- Sea Level Rise: A Slow Tsunami On America's Shores -- sounds the alarm on the coastal crisis looming for the country. It's a great read.  And, Gil Gaul has released his own seminal book on how and why we have developed the shoreline the way we have and the significant risks ahead. The Geography of Risk: Epic Storms, Rising Seas, and the Cost of America's Coasts is one of the best-researched and comprehensive books on the topic. Jump into this wide-ranging exploration of American shoreline development with two of the best thinkers on the subject. Upfront, we confess we did encounter a few internet glitches in the recording but we hope you can forgive us.  This is a don't-miss interview!