Restore or Retreat February 2019 Update

The latest coastal news, events and more from the Barataria and Terrebonne Basins...

February 2019

Project ideas for 2023 Master Plan due March 1

It is hard to believe, but the next Louisiana Coastal Master Plan process has already kicked off!

As a first step, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) is currently asking for project ideas for the 2023 Coastal Master Plan.

Do you have a project idea you would like considered?

CPRA is asking that emphasis should be on projects that:

Continue to provide benefit in the face of sea level rise and subsidence without continued maintenance
Make a contribution to maintaining the fresh/salt water mix for future decades
Provide risk reduction at the community or regional scale

Who can submit?
New projects that meet the above challenge can be proposed by any source, including the general public, universities, parishes, elected officials, state and/or federal agencies, non-profits or community-based organizations, landowners, and business/industry.

When is the deadline?
New project ideas are currently being accepted until March 1, 2019. Proposals should be delivered electronically, in .pdf format ( click on this link for instructions on how to pdf a document) to [email protected] or mailed to the 2023 Coastal Master Plan Project Development Program at P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70804.

How can I find out more information?
Check out this CPRA 2023 Master Plan page for a helpful webinar, frequently asked questions page, or simple one-pager on the process. Or ask me, and I can help connect you with someone at CPRA who could provide more information.

Annual Plan Comments Due March 9

The Annual Plan provides a three-year outlook on the State's efforts to protect and restore its coast.

There is good news in this year's annual plan: coastal spending ramps up to almost $1 billion dollars in just a few short years, and there is a significant amount headed to Terrebonne and Lafourche.

More details on the plan can be found here on the CPRA's website. Also, ROR has highlighted helpful information on this year's plan here.

Comments are due no later than March 9, 2019, to the following mail or email address:

Email to [email protected]
Mail to CPRA, attn: FY2020 Annual Plan Comments, 150 Terrace Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

ICYMI: Celebrating World Wetlands Day

Check out other blogs like this, as well as current news, area events, etc. through ROR's social media!

While February 2 is familiar to many as a day in which weather predictions are made from the site of a groundhog's shadow--or in Houma, by the site of Jonathan Foret's nutria, Beignet-- it is also an international day of observance for a critical component of our environment, wetlands. World Wetlands Day is a global celebration to raise awareness on the significance of wetlands, and the indirect and direct relationship to people and the planet.

What are wetlands?

Wetlands are land areas defined by the presence of water, specifically the saturation of soils, either seasonally or permanently. In most cases, wetlands are known to be transitional regions between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Wetlands are one of the most thriving habitats to wildlife, supporting a huge array of organisms, such as wetland-adapted plants, birds, fish, amphibians, shellfish, and a slew of microorganisms.

Variance in water level and location often influence the environmental characteristics found in the different types of wetlands. Simply stated, inland wetlands are comprised of marshes, ponds, lakes, fens, floodplains, and swamps. Wetlands positioned in a coastal watershed, coastal wetlands, include saltwater marshes, estuaries, mangroves, and lagoons.

The value and benefits provided by wetlands are immense, vital, and extend far beyond Louisiana-where 40% of wetlands in the continental United States are located, yet 80% of wetland loss. Coastal wetlands act as a first line of defense in the face of weather events to provide protection as a natural buffer. Wetlands also contribute greatly to erosion control, water quality,

commercial fisheries national and internationally, carbon sequestration, and recreation. In Louisiana especially, the extensive environmental and economic importance of wetlands drive the dire fight to restore our coast.

In honor of World Wetlands Day, Restore or Retreat is excited to participate in the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center's 10 ^th Annual World Wetlands Celebration for the second year. This Friday, February 1, ROR will join other organizations to raise awareness of wetlands and the immense impacts provided to our coast, community, and culture. This educational event will allow for hands-on activities with students from local Terrebonne schools at the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum ; ROR will be showcasing the effects of wave energy against a small scale barrier island.

So, we would like to wish you a happy World Wetlands Day!! While we may be a few days early, it is never too early to work toward saving the wetlands of our irreplaceable coast!!