Coast-lovers will have a chance to learn more about Oregon's sandy shorelines, and more about the volunteers who keep watch over them, when the CoastWatch program presents a special public event in Reedsport on Saturday, Aug. 18.

Featuring slide talks by geologist Roger Hart and biologist Kerrie Palermo, the free public presentation begins at 10 a.m. at the Umpqua Discovery Center. The event also includes brief remarks about the CoastWatch program from Jim Long of Roseburg, CoastWatch's Douglas County coordinator; and Phillip Johnson, the program's statewide director. A guided beach walk also will be offered in the afternoon.

Lead speaker Roger Hart, a coastal geologist who specializes in studying beaches and dunes, is known for discovering that stumps buried on Oregon beaches are the remains of ancient forests, and using this evidence to trace the history of the coast. He is the author of “The Phaselock Code,” which chronicles his global adventures as a geologist. Hart's slide presentation will explore the question, “Where Has All the Sand Gone?: Oregon's Beaches, Dunes and Buried Forests.” He will look at the evolution of Oregon's sandy shorelines over the centuries, and discuss possible impacts of rising sea levels and heightened storm impacts due to global warming.

Hart will be followed by Kerrie Palermo of Reedsport, who is the senior wildlife biologist for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management Coos Bay District office, and was formerly a wildlife biologist at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for seven years. She will give the audience an overview of the ecology of beaches and dunes, with a special look at the threatened Western snowy plover and its habitat needs.

CoastWatch is a volunteer program of the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition. CoastWatch “mile adopters” adopt one-mile segments of the shoreline and keep watch for both human impacts and natural changes, filing quarterly reports to Oregon Shores and reporting problems to the appropriate authorities.

“We have a number of CoastWatch miles in Douglas County that need active local volunteers,” Long said in a press release.

Several beach miles in Douglas County have been adopted by people from Lane or Coos counties. Long said that while the group welcomes their participation, it would like to have a local resident watching each mile.

“We hope this event will help make more people in the Reedsport area aware of CoastWatch and willing to join us in protecting the shoreline,” he said.

The CoastWatch program director will briefly discuss the program and how to get involved during the Saturday event.

A beach walk led by Kerrie Palermo will be held beginning at 1:30 p.m., after participants get lunch on their own. Those joining the walk will assemble at the free public parking lot at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park.

For more information about the event, or about joining CoastWatch, those interested can contact Jim Long at (541) 673-3713 or e-mail to jlong@mcsi.net.