America's Wetland Foundation

Bold plan proposed to save coastal Louisiana

By: Cain Burdeau , BostonGlobe

A $50 billion, 50-year proposal aspires to stop coastal land loss in Louisiana, build new levee systems to protect cities and even begin to slowly reverse the trend of eroding marsh that has turned the entire southern portion of the state into one of the nation's most vulnerable regions to sea level rise.

Master coastal plan positive

By: Staff, The Advocate

Over the years, there’s been no shortage of reports and planning about how to slow or stop the loss of coastal wetlands in Louisiana, but on Thursday the state released a different sort of plan.

Louisiana coastal restoration 50-year blueprint released

By: Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune

Declaring Louisiana’s loss of coastal wetlands “nothing short of a national emergency,” state officials today released a $50 billion, 50-year strategy for rebuilding land and increasing protection from storm surge for coastal communities that they say can be paid for with money the state is reasonably sure it will receive.

Coastal plan to be released next week

By: Nikki Buskey, Daily Comet

A draft of Louisiana’s reworked plan to spend billions of state and federal dollars on restoration and protection projects will be available to the public next week.

Washington Insider - Gulf Coast Restoration

By: The Maritime Executive

Amid the bipartisan mantra in Washington for long-term cuts in federal spending, a potential major new program has surfaced on Capitol Hill.

Christmas trees for coastal restoration: An editorial

By: Editorial Staff, Times-Picayune

Pines, firs and spruces used as Christmas trees aren't wetland species, but they still have a place in Louisiana's marshes, in cribs where they are stacked to break wave action and trap sediment. That's a far better fate for a used Christmas tree than being incinerated or placed in a landfill. Instead of adding to the waste stream, Louisiana residents who use live trees can become a small part of coastal recovery efforts.

Coastal restoration efforts get boost from $1 million Shell donation

By: Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune

A $1 million donation from Shell will be used by the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program to rebuild a tiny patch of sand in Barataria Bay that reporters covering the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill dubbed Pelican Island. The isle in Plaquemines Parish is one of several just north of East Grand Terre Island that will disappear in the next few years without restoration, said Richard DeMay, senior scientist with the estuary program. The islets are used as nesting rookeries by at least 11 important seabird and shorebird species.

Still time to win $5,000 for your classroom

By: Nikki Buskey, Daily Comet

Local schoolchildren still have two weeks to send in their coastal-artwork and writing to raise awareness for coastal restoration and try to win a prize for their classroom.

'Turning the Tide' explores coastal erosion

By: Dave Walker, The TImes-Picayune

Filmmaker Christina Hendrick Melton had one target audience in mind when she began researching coastal-wetlands erosion several years ago: The public, who probably can’t hear enough about the urgency of the issue.

Old Christmas trees can help fight marsh erosion

By: AP News

Old Christmas trees can have new life in Louisiana's marshes when various recycling programs get underway next month.

Contest part of foundation's 10-year anniversary celebration

By: Quo Vadis Hollins, The Times-Picayune

Students are encouraged to recognize the value of Louisiana’s wetlands through the annual Keep Your Eye on the Prize contest. The America’s WETLAND Foundation is sponsoring the art, photo and poetry contest for Louisiana students.

Creativity contest boosts awareness of coastal plight

By: Mike Nixon, Tri-Parish Times

Louisiana students are being offered an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity while thinking of ways to enhance coastal restoration. America’s Wetland Foundation has announced that it offers a Keep your Eye on the Prize competition and $5,000 award to the schools of 10 students who best present through creative endeavors their ideas regarding land loss and coastal restoration in Louisiana.

Louisiana’s wetlands, culture have hope in floating islands

By: FONDRIEST Environmental

Louisiana’s wetland coast is expanding with the help of America’s favorite product: plastic. Nearly 1,500 linear feet of floating plant “islands,” made of recycled plastic bottles and foam, are flourishing off the coast of Houma, La. Local volunteers and a collaboration of businesses and non-profits launched the islands in September in an effort to reduce erosion and expand wetland area.

Trustees approve projects to restore wetlands, rebuild oyster beds using BP money

By: Mark Schleifstein, The Times-Picayune

In a small nibble at what is expected to be a very large apple, federal and state officials announced approval Wednesday of the first $57 million for projects to reverse the damage caused by the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, including $28 million for Louisiana projects.

Houma native travels to Indonesia to share delta woes

By: Nikki Buskey, Daily Comet

The problems that have plagued the Mississippi River delta and contributed to coastal erosion in Louisiana are also being experienced in communities around the world.