Rusted Roots and Spurned Sprouts

Elliott White Jr.

My roots run deep.
My branches spread wide.

I preside over the entire
North American Coastal Plain.

I have no eyes,
but I have seen changes.

The Timucua used me for 
canoes long and sturdy.

They used me for
garden bed mulch.

The Lumbee used me for 
sanctuary to escape persecution.

They used me for
cotton and tobacco plantations.

The enslaved used me for
respite while going North. 

They used me for
a symbol of bad government.

The Timucua, Lumbee, and the forgotten lived with me,
They think I can be lived without.

They are just starting to see the value
that Others have seen all along.

My roots run deeper,
but only find salt and sulphur.

My branches spread wider,
but they are looking bare.

My time has come.

The Science

Coastal forested wetlands are a critical part of the North American Coastal Plain, which stretches from southern Texas to the Delmarva Peninsula. They provide vital ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, groundwater recharge, and storm surge attenuation. Various groups have used them over time for shelter and goods. Colonization of North America saw the systematic drainage and deforestation of large swathes of coastal forested wetlands. The reduction in area has caused harm to ecosystems and cultures that relied on them. The ecosystem's wider societal value is being recognized too late in the face of sea level rise and saltwater intrusion. 

The Poet

Elliott White Jr. is currently a postdoctoral research associate in the Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Virginia. He is an incoming assistant professor in the Earth Systems Science Department at Stanford University (Jan. '22). Elliott studies the effects of climate change and anthropogenic intervention on coastal vegetation. His research draws from multiple disciplines, including ecology, hydrology, biogeochemistry, and remote sensing. He has worked in wetlands across the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast. Elliott has a PhD in Environmental Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida. He spends his free time cooking and searching for new music digitally or on vinyl.

Next poem: Solvitur Ambulando by DB Jonas