Experts issue warning as historic US island could soon disappear completely: 'It doesn't have that much time'

A historic island less than 100 miles from Washington, D.C., may soon be lost if action isn't quickly taken, a local expert has warned. 

What's happening?

Tangier, Virginia, is one of the last inhabited islands in the Chesapeake Bay, and its very existence is in serious jeopardy due to coastal erosion. 

According to NPR, the island has lost two-thirds of its landmass since 1850 and could be gone entirely within 50 years. 

Dave Schulte, a climate change researcher and ecological restoration specialist, has extensively studied Tangier's plight and warns it may need to be abandoned within 25 to 30 years. 

Tangier's story has attracted nationwide attention, but Schulte laments that precious little meaningful action has been taken to reverse its decline. Defensive structures were completed in 1990 and 2020, but those took decades to come to fruition. 

"They can't keep asking for help and wait 50 years for someone to save the island. It doesn't have that much time," Schulte warned. 

Why is coastal erosion such a concern?

Coastal erosion is a global phenomenon driven by human activities. As sea ice melts due to planet-heating emissions, sea levels rise, placing islands and coastal communities under threat. The warmer oceans also lead to worse storms, which exacerbate the problems even further. 

Tangier might be home to just 240 residents (a 30% decline in the last three years), but its unique way of life, rich heritage, and an unusual vocabulary would be lost if nothing is done. 

Tangier's mayor, James Eskridge, said in response to calls to just move away, "We've been here for hundreds of years and we'd like to remain. And it's very doable."

What's being done to save the island?

Time and money are the two most significant problems that Tangier faces; raising awareness of the issues is just the first step. 

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Over $10 million in funding to safeguard Tangier was secured by Virginia's senators, but that figure is well short of the total estimated cost of $250-350 million to protect and restore the island. 

With just a handful of aging residents, securing that kind of money will be difficult and may necessitate more unconventional methods.

For example, the Chesapeake Foundation advocates for the use of a "living shoreline" composed of native wetland grasses, plants, and trees. Further afield in Scotland, scientists have found that kelp forests could be a game-changer in mitigating storms and erosion.

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