Benjamin Dimmitt’s book "An Unflinching Look: Elegy for Wetlands" demonstrates the ecological consequences of climate change on Florida’s wetlands, specifically in the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, about 60 miles north of Tampa.
Dimmitt, 70, was born and raised on the Gulf Coast, and knows and loves the refuge profoundly. When he noticed climate change’s effects on the refuge over the course of his lifetime, Dimmitt returned to take pictures of the landscapes that he originally photographed more than 40 years ago.
Photographs in black and white depict tangled underbrush, rippling waters and flat scrubby landscape. Some are presented as diptychs—two photos taken decades apart are presented side by side, clearly showing the consequences of rising sea levels on this wetland ecosystem. Over the course of four decades the surrounding vegetation has dramatically thinned, once lush landscapes now only sparse grass and dying palms.
Photo by Benjamin Dimmitt
Dimmitt's 1986 photo (top) of the Chassahowitzka River is shown on the facing page of his 2020 photo (bottom) of the same location.
In the Chassahowitzka refuge, clear waters rise up from the springs and move slowly through the swamp before reaching brackish marshes and eventually, the gulf. Saltwater intrusion caused by rising sea levels encroaches more and more on the naturally fresh waters further inland, culling vegetation and forcing wildlife to higher ground.
The refuge was originally created for waterfowl conservation for the many migratory birds that spend their winters there, but as temperatures rise the refuge sees fewer migratory birds.
In his book Dimmitt also explains how Tampa’s northern expansion threatens the environment as well. Millions of gallons of water are used for golf courses, he writes, then contaminated by fertilizers before returning to the aquifers, causing nitrification and toxic algal blooms. The very same developments are in turn threatened by sea levels which will continue to rise.
“An Unflinching Look” is indeed an elegy–a lamentation of all that Florida, and indeed the world’s coastal communities, have lost due to climate change. But it is also a call to action. Dimmitt maintains that there is still hope for Florida, “but only if global communities at the highest levels reduce carbon emissions,” he said in a Q & A.
To celebrate the lead-up to Earth Day, Oxford Exchange will host Benjamin Dimmitt for a talk and book signing on Sunday, April 21 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $5, and a $34.95 option includes a copy of “An Unflinching Look."
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