Thank you for supporting Science for Our Coast!
Join us for our 31st Annual Beach Sweep:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ~ Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020!
Beach Sweep is the largest community cleanup in
Southeastern Louisiana!

Volunteers, partners, and sponsors will help clean up the areas that drain into the Pontchartrain Basin by safely cleaning ditches, curbs, and storm drains along city streets and rural roadways. Beach Sweep is a community cleanup of the entire 16-parish Pontchartrain Basin region that is in conjunction with the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup.
Distance
This project will help prevent our area from flooding and at the same time protect Lake Pontchartrain from harmful debris. Beach Sweep provides the community with an opportunity to end trash flow at the source by picking up litter while remaining socially distant due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Download the Clean Swell app and “Start Collecting” trash wherever you are. The data you collect for Beach Sweep will instantaneously upload to Ocean Conservancy’s global ocean trash database.
Thank you to our Beach Sweep 2020 Sponsors!
Educators Curriculum
The Pontchartrain Conservancy is very excited about
our newest resource!
Educator Essentials is a free online resource that will have two areas for educators to utilize. The first one, curriculum collections is live and ready for use (Professional Development is in progress).
  • Includes seven collections based on local phenomena with global connections 
  • Topics range from climate migrants in Isle de Jean Charles to understanding water quality concepts and microplastics.
  • Features real-world data, scientific tools from NOAA, the EPA, and more
  • Choose between Guided Explorations or Build Your Own Lesson Plans
Example:
Please create a free educator's account for access to this resource. Though it is geared to middle school and high school, many things can be adapted and used with younger grades.
This collection is designed to grow and adapt. We will be adding new topics and resources as they become available. Please explore and share. Shape our future scientists! Do you have a resource that you think we should include in our collections? Do you see something that needs to be updated or changed? If so, please email us at education@scienceforourcoast.org.
Visit the Educator Essentials Curriculum Collection today!
On August 6, 2020, Pontchartrain Conservancy led a field trip with the Louisiana Governor’s Fellows. The fellowships are open to college students attending a Louisiana university or Louisiana residents attending an out-of-state university. The students work in the Governor’s office for the summer to be exposed to real-world job experience. The trip was arranged as they wrapped up their work which included giving a presentation to the Governor the day before the trip.
Our trip with the students was to two locations. First stop was the Bayou Bienvenue Triangle Platform in the Lower Ninth Ward. The platform is an iconic site to see a ghost cypress swamp adjacent to the local community that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Arthur Johnson from CSED shared his thoughts and vision for the community with the group.The second stop was a boat tour of the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO). 
By visiting the two sites, the students learned of the interwoven story of environmental degradation, MRGO legacy, and the man-made disaster of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Students also learned of PC’s Multiple Lines of Defense System as a way to mitigate against future threats from hurricanes.
Lindsay Cooper who is Policy Adviser for the Office of the Governor, (Coastal Activities), and directs the fellowship program was in an attendance, as well as Charles Sutcliffe from CPRA, who is the Chief Resiliency Officer for the State. Thanks to Simone Maloz with Restore or Retreat who helped organize the trip and provided lunch. The weather was perfect and the students had a nice break from their regular program while continuing to learn about science.

A message from our Executive Director
To all of our neighbors being affected by Hurricane Laura, you are in our thoughts at Pontchartrain Conservancy. 

During the week of the 15th anniversary of Katrina, we know hurricanes are inevitable, but we also know there are ways to protect us in southeast Louisiana through our coast. One of those ways is by implementing our Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy. We still have a long way to go for hurricane protection and plan to do so through your support in us! 

Part of caring for the basin and coast includes picking up the trash and debris that can be harmful to the environment and wildlife. I hope you join us for our annual Beach Sweep on September 19th! We will be implementing COVID-19 safety guidelines and are encouraging volunteers to clean up with their families in their neighborhood. Every piece of trash you pick up makes a difference. During quarantine many of us found solace through spending time outdoors. Think of Beach Sweep as a way to give back to the places you have enjoyed these past months!
Thank you, as always, for your support.
Executive Director Kristi Trail