Governor Jindal Announces Plans to Restore SWLA Coastal Wetlands

By Bill Krull
Spinnaker Communications, Inc.
www.spinncomm.com



With each Louisiana coastal wetlands study, the alarm bells ring more stridently. Each year, the Gulf of Mexico captures 30 or more square miles of the state’s unique and priceless wetlands.

“There are so many reasons why protecting our coastal wetlands is important, not only for Southwest Louisiana but also for our state. We know, studies have shown, every couple of miles of healthy wetlands reduces tidal surge by a foot. We know, studies have shown, we are losing our coast far too quickly—30 miles a year across our state—200 miles in 2005 alone,” said Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal at a Lake Charles press conference. “Studies have shown that the time to act—that window—is shrinking. We’ve got to act now. We don’t need more studies; we need more action.”

That action came when Jindal, Garrett Graves, Director of the Office of the Governor for Coastal Activities, and Don Young, Executive Director of Ducks Unlimited (DU), signed a $3.26 million cooperative agreement at the Lake Charles Civic Center to bring back to life and safeguard nearly 2,500 acres of Southwest Louisiana wetlands.

The funds--$1 million from DU thanks to federal funds from the North American Wetland Conservation Act, $2.1 million from the State’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and the rest from private donors--will be used to build marshland terraces.

Marsh terraces to be built
The public/private venture will build almost 250,000 feet of marsh terraces in Black Lake Marsh and next door in the West Hackberry Marsh. The terraces will help restore areas that were seriously damaged by wave action and saltwater intrusion, largely from Hurricanes Rita and Ike. Rebuilding these marsh terraces will spur plant growth, improve water quality, limit saltwater intrusion and break up waves that are the main cause of coastal erosion.

Joint ventures such as this and a similar agreement signed last year between the State’s Department of Transportation and Development, Wildlife and Fisheries and the Coastal Conservation Association, illustrate the importance of government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations joining forces in a common-sense strategy to meet critical issues, Jindal said.

“These projects show what we can accomplish when we work with organizations like Ducks Unlimited and the Coastal Conservation Association—organizations that share our mission of rebuilding our coastal wetlands and our central natural habitats while better protecting our people from future storms” Jindal said.

“Let me tell you a little bit about the natural habitat, why it’s important. If you’re like me: a fisherman, a hunter or if you just enjoy the outdoors, these terraces will restore an area that is vital to the natural habitat for ducks, geese and other wildlife that depend on coastal marshes in our state for their survival,” he said.

The eroding coastline and vanishing marshes are threats that most people understand in the abstract—they’re important but aren’t top of the mind concerns.

Coastal system unique
Yet, Louisiana’s Coastal Cheniere is unique in the world—a diverse and complex ecosystem vital not only to Louisiana, but also the nation. It’s host to 10 million wintering waterfowl—20 percent of the North American population. The eroding coastline and vanishing marshes help protect nearly 50 percent of the nation’s oil refining capacity and nearly a third of its oil and gas supply.

The coast has five of the country’s busiest ports in the U.S., serving 10 of the nation’s major waterways. These facilities handle 19 percent of annual U.S. waterborne commerce. More than 26 percent of North America’s fisheries catch comes from Louisiana.

The biggest threat, though, is to one of the most vibrant cultures in the world. More than two million people live and raise their families in South Louisiana—a cultural gumbo pot of Cajun, Creole, French, African American, Native American and many other cultures.

“The state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Master Plan not only aims to restore wetlands and protect communities, but also preserve and protect the cultural heritage and wildlife that make our coast so important and unique,” Graves said, “A project like this one, in which the state works with a conservation organization like Ducks Unlimited to provide better protection, better habitat for waterfowl and to preserve the resources that make our state such a tremendous place to hunt and fish are exactly the kind of projects we will be building.”

Duck hunting in Louisiana is more than a sport—it’s a rite of passage that draws hunters from around the globe. Then, of course, is the world-famous fishing. Fishermen from all over the continent travel to the Louisiana coast to pursue redfish, speckled trout, and flounder, providing revenues to the state and livelihoods to its citizens. Louisiana, said Young, is the North American “capital” of natural resources.

“Today’s agreement with the State of Louisiana represents yet one more tangible example of Ducks Unlimited’s commitment to protecting this vital coastline for wildlife and people. Conservation of the Gulf Coast’s wetlands is one of the key priorities of Ducks Unlimited’s continent-wide Wetlands for Tomorrow Campaign,” Young said. “This noteworthy undertaking will protect vital energy and social infrastructure as well as the wildlife and recreational opportunities the coast of Louisiana is so well known for. We thank Governor Jindal for his strong leadership in making this project a reality.”

Ducks Unlimited is the largest waterfowl conservation organization in the world, with close to 700,000 members in the U.S. and nearly 17,000 in Louisiana. One of the top priorities of Ducks Unlimited is to preserve essential habitat for ducks and geese.

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
Because of the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, in December 2005, the Louisiana Legislature restructured the State’s Wetland Conservation and Restoration Authority to form the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). Act 8 of the First Extraordinary Session of 2005 expanded the membership, duties, and responsibilities of the CPRA and charged the new Authority to develop and implement a comprehensive coastal protection plan, including both a master plan and annual plans.

“The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s mandate is to develop, implement and enforce a comprehensive coastal protection and restoration master plan. This single state authority integrated coastal restoration and hurricane protection by marshalling the expertise and resources of the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation and Development, and other state agencies, to speak with one clear voice for the future of Louisiana’s coast,” Graves said.

“Working with federal, state and local political subdivisions, including levee districts, the CPRA works to establish a safe and sustainable coast that will protect our communities, the nation’s critical energy infrastructure, and our bountiful natural resources for generations to come,” he added.