SET Webinar Series: Partner Spotlight on the South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative 

SECOORA’s Surface Elevation Table Community of Practice (SET CoP) will host an upcoming webinar spotlighting the South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI) on March 27, 2026, from 2:00 – 3:00 PM (ET). This session is part of the SECOORA SET Webinar Series and will highlight regional collaboration and science-based strategies to protect and restore salt marshes across the South Atlantic. 

The webinar will introduce SASMI’s coordinated, multi-partner approach to conserving one of the region’s most critical coastal ecosystems. Presenters will discuss how salt marsh science informs SASMI’s conservation and restoration planning, and how scientific data are applied to resilience planning and decision-making across conservation, military, and resource management contexts. 

Speakers 

• Amanda Gobeli, Coordinator, South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI), Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute 
• Dr. Michelle Peppina Covi, Coastal Resilience Department of Defense Liaison, Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS), UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant 

Topics will include: 

• SASMI’s regional vision, coalition framework, and 10-year goal to protect one million acres of salt marsh 
• The role of scientific data in guiding marsh conservation, restoration, and resilience strategies 
• Opportunities to align local, regional, and sector-specific priorities 

The session will also feature discussion on how SET networks can connect with SASMI’s regional strategy, followed by an open Q&A.