The public is invited to a book launch and author talk on Connecticut’s Sandy Shores: An Introduction to the Geology, Plants and Animals at 4 p.m. on Nov. 29 in Room 103 of the Lowell P. Weicker Jr. Building at the UConn Avery Point campus in Groton.
Published this fall, the 130-page, spiral-bound guidebook contains dozens of color photos and illustrations along with explanatory text about the ecology, common species and why Connecticut’s sandy beaches differ from many others along the Atlantic seaboard.
Speaking at the event will be lead author Juliana Barrett, CT Sea Grant coastal habitat specialist and extension educator emerita, and Ralph Lewis, CT state geologist emeritus, who wrote the chapter on Long Island Sound geology.
“Our goal with this guide is to encourage people to get outside and both enjoy Connecticut’s beaches as well as understand the ecology and geology of them,” Barrett said. “No matter what time of year you head to the coast, this guide will help you identify some of the common species that you might encounter.”
Lewis said the geology section can help residents and project managers better understand the unique features of the Connecticut coast.
“My goal in writing the geology section of the book was to emphasize that successful, local coastal resilience initiatives must be based on a recognition that the geology and physical functioning of the Connecticut coast differs markedly from surrounding Atlantic-facing, sand-rich coastlines,” he said. “Just because it worked in one location, don’t count on it working in another unless your design has factored in all the local geologic and oceanographic processes currently reshaping your prospective site.”
Books can be purchased at the event, well-timed for the holiday gift-giving season, for $18 each, payable by cash or check only. Light refreshments will be served and admission is free. The event is being sponsored by CT Sea Grant, the UConn Library – Avery Point and the Connecticut College Arboretum.
Printed on water resistant paper, the book is intended as an educational companion for visits to the shoreline by anyone interested in learning about the coastal environment, including formal and informal educators, birders, artists, students and the general public.
The book is a project of Connecticut Sea Grant, the Connecticut College Arboretum and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is a companion to the previous published CT Sea Grant-Arboretum publication, Salt Marsh Plants of Long Island Sound.
Copies of the book can also be purchased by contacting Michelle MarcAurele at: michelle.marcaurele@uconn.edu.