A 21-year-old National Geographic photographer has developed a groundbreaking amphibious camera system to document the rapidly disappearing salt marshes across the United States. Soren Goldsmith, a National Geographic Young Explorer and photo engineer, created this innovative technology to capture the critical ecosystems that serve as natural barriers against rising sea levels but are vanishing at an alarming rate due to climate change.
Salt marshes, found along every coastline in the United States, represent some of the most critically important wetland ecosystems in the country. These natural environments provide essential protection against rising seas while serving multiple environmental functions. However, these vital ecosystems face increasing threats from climate change and sea level rise, causing them to disappear at unprecedented rates that scientists warn could lead to their complete disappearance by the end of this century if current trends continue.
Goldsmith's invention, called the Intertidal Motion Picture Activated Camera Trap, or IMPACT, addresses a significant gap in wildlife photography equipment. While camera traps that automatically capture photos when motion is detected have long been essential tools for wildlife photographers, few options existed for capturing similar images underwater or in environments that are only periodically submerged. The IMPACT system uses advanced motion sensors and waterproof engineering to operate in unique environments that remain underwater for part of the day while staying exposed during other times.
The innovative device is specifically designed for extended deployment, capable of continuously documenting salt marsh activity for up to a week without human intervention. Goldsmith has been using the IMPACT system to study and photograph the salt marshes in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, capturing unprecedented footage of these dynamic intertidal environments. "Salt marshes are intertidal environments, which means that half the day they're dry, but the other half of the day, the water is going to come up and cover this landscape," Goldsmith explained. "I had this idea of what if I could build an amphibious camera trap."
To transform this concept into reality, Goldsmith collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of engineers at the University of Wisconsin. The complex project required expertise from various engineering fields to overcome the technical challenges of creating a device that could function both above and below water. "I ended up heading to the University of Wisconsin for engineering. And suddenly I had all these resources at my disposal," Goldsmith said. "I had mechanical engineers, environmental engineers, civil engineers, computer engineers that were able to combine their expertise onto one project, because a camera trap is a complex contraption."
The development process was extensive and required months of careful planning and testing. "We spent many months building this, putting this together, getting everything to fit, getting everything waterproof so it doesn't flood when it's underwater," Goldsmith noted. The team had to solve numerous technical challenges, from ensuring complete waterproofing to developing motion detection systems that could function reliably in changing water conditions.
The urgency of Goldsmith's work is underscored by dire predictions about the future of America's salt marshes. These wetlands serve as natural defense systems that provide multiple environmental benefits, including reducing flooding in coastal communities, filtering pollution from water systems, and storing significant amounts of carbon that help combat climate change. Despite their critical importance, rising sea levels and increasing human development along coastlines are accelerating their decline at rates that scientists find deeply concerning.
Goldsmith hopes his photography and documentation efforts will inspire broader conservation initiatives to protect these vulnerable ecosystems. His work represents a new generation of environmental photographers who are leveraging advanced technology to tell important conservation stories. "Some of the stuff that I have been able to build, 15 years ago, would not have been possible," the young photographer observed. "I'm lucky to be young right now, when I have all of these cool technology and opportunities that I can leverage to tell my stories that older people might not have had."
The IMPACT camera system represents more than just a technological achievement; it symbolizes how young conservationists are using innovative approaches to document and raise awareness about environmental challenges. Through his work in Massachusetts salt marshes, Goldsmith is creating a visual record of these ecosystems that could prove invaluable for both scientific research and public education about the importance of wetland conservation in an era of accelerating climate change.
