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

Restore or Retreat Partners with CPRA and State Library to Advance Coastal Literacy
This partnership is a perfect example of how groups at multiple levels-- state, parish and non-profit-- can work together towards a common goal on behalf of the citizens of Louisiana.

In order to boost awareness to Louisiana's coastal restoration and protection efforts, nonprofit coastal advocacy organization Restore or Retreat, in partnership with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and the State Library of Louisiana, have provided the 2017 Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast to all 340 public libraries in the state, distributed by the State Library's delivery service at no additional cost to taxpayers.

"The 2017 Coastal Master Plan recommends a diversity of projects to build land and reduce flood risk in order to balance short-term needs with long-term goals," said Governor John Bel Edwards.  "It is our hope that all Louisiana residents, those who live on the coast as well as inland areas, can use the information provided to their local public library to better prepare their families and communities for a changing coastal Louisiana landscape."

Available for the public to "check out" from their library, each coastal kit comes at no-cost to the library and includes hard and digital copies of the plan, a letter of support each from Governor John Bel Edwards and State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton, information on the Coastal Wetlands Planning Protection and Restoration Act ( CWPPRA), a large format map of  Coastal Master Plan projects, along with a dozen additional resources from CPRA, such as project suggestions and teaching tools for teachers and librarians, parish-specific information and translations of the Coastal Master Plan's Executive Summary in French, Spanish and Vietnamese. 

"At the State Library of Louisiana, we are in the business of providing access to important information to all of our citizens, especially information about Louisiana, and we know the best way to distribute such essential information is through our 340 public libraries serving the entire state," said Hamilton.  "Our partnership with Restore or Retreat and CPRA will help enhance coastal literacy among our citizens statewide."

"There are few issues as important to the future of our state as coastal land loss. Every citizen in the State of Louisiana should have access to the plan that outlines how the State is boldly confronting the future environmental challenges it faces," said Simone Maloz, Executive Director of Restore or Retreat. "The science-based, publicly-informed Coastal Master Plan is an investment in restoring and protecting our coastal ecosystems to benefit the people, industries and wildlife that depend on the coast. This plan and the projects being implemented by CPRA help create a stronger future for our entire state and nation, not just those living along our coast."
 
The project was made possible through a grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation Thriving Coastal Communities Initiative.

"The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority thanks Restore or Retreat and the Greater New Orleans Foundation for their long-standing commitment to promoting awareness of Louisiana's coastal challenges, and we are thrilled for this opportunity to participate with them in this incredible outreach initiative," said CPRA Chairman and Executive Assistant to the Governor Johnny Bradberry.

Please join us on Thursday, May 17 at noon for a virtual lunch and learn on CPRA's Diversions Program!  

Brad Barth and Rudy Simoneaux of the Diversions Team will provide a presentation via a BlueJeans webinar on both the Mid-Barataria and Mid-Breton Sediment Diversions - projects that will reconnect the Mississippi River to its basin, to rebuild and sustain the wetlands.
 
Click here for info on ROR's web page on how to join the webinar. If you want to join us in person in Thibodaux, ROR will be providing lunch-- please email victoria.sagrera@nicholls.edu for more details.
 
The Creole Classic Fishing Tournament, a fishing rodeo held every June in Grand Isle, LA, and Restore or Retreat have joined forces through a strategic partnership to utilize the area's premier fishing rodeo to rally support for saving our Sportsman's Paradise by restoring Louisiana's rapidly eroding coastline.
 
 
This year, the 34th annual event will be June 21-23 at Bridgeside Marina.  To find out more details, click here.  
 
The fishing tournament, started in 1984, is a well-known supporter of local charities, and will continue to grow that philanthropy by promoting and supporting Restore or Retreat's own mission of identifying and expediting the implementation of aggressive, large-scale restoration projects to protect this region.
 
The events surrounding the fishing rodeo will provide the same great time Creole Classic participants have grown to expect, and the partnership with ROR will go a step further to ensure families that participate have fun, as well as kid and family friendly educational opportunities to raise awareness about Louisiana's land loss and the proposed solutions.
 
"We know the participants of the Creole Classic Rodeo already enjoy Louisiana's Sportsman's Paradise," said Simone Maloz, ROR Executive Director.  "Our partnership with the rodeo provides ROR with an excellent opportunity for us to interact one-on-one with all those who love Louisiana's natural resources-- big and small-- about what they can do to make sure it doesn't become a vanishing paradise."  She adds, "And what better place to have a rodeo than Grand Isle, which is right next door to the recently completed Caminada Headland and Shoreline project, one of the biggest restoration projects to date."
 
Chairman of the Creole Classic, Benton LeBlanc, said of the partnership: "The entire board of directors of the Creole Classic Fishing Tournament is very excited to welcome the Restore or Retreat team to our rodeo, and to move forward in our combined goal of raising money for our existing charities while spreading awareness around the problems that our coast faces along with the efforts being put in place to restore it. We're equally excited about being able to provide a few new experiences during the rodeo weekend that would be impossible to bring to our participants and their families without this partnership."
 
Nicholls Alum Chef Minh Le is again using his Burger of the Month in May to s upport Restore or Retreat.  Sponsored by new partner Creole Classic Fishing Tournament, the burger features two beef patties,
grilled pineapple, bacon, cheddar cheese, homemade BBQ and red onions-- and it is DELICIOUS!!!  

At the end of the month, ROR receives a percentage of the proceeds to support our daily work to restore this irreplaceable region.  

Restore or Retreat recently held a coastal flyover and trip to Davis Pond for Congressional staffers.
Coastal Calendar and News

Restore or Retreat, Inc | 985.448.4485 | www.restoreorretreat.org
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