Community & Events

Basics of the Basin research symposium discusses past, present and future of the Pontchartrain Basin

Basics of the Basin research symposium discusses past, present and future of the Pontchartrain Basin

By Shannon Hood and Estelle S. Robichaux, Environmental Defense Fund On October 24-25, 2013, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF) hosted its 11th Basics of the Basin research symposium. Scientists and researchers from academia, non-profit organizations, private consulting groups and federal and state agencies gathered at the University of New Orleans (UNO) on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain to discuss the past, present and future issues of the Pontchartrain Basin. LPBF has hosted these biennial symposiums since 1992, providing an …

Recap of Wednesday's Mississippi River Hydrodynamic and Delta Management Study Technical Meeting

By Alisha Renfro, Coastal Scientist, National Wildlife Federation The Mississippi River is one of the most managed river systems in the world. However, that management has focused on navigation and flood control needs to the detriment of the economically and ecologically important coastal Louisiana landscape. This week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) hosted a public meeting in New Orleans to present information and preliminary results of their joint effort on the …

Register Now: Basics of the Basin 2013 Research Symposium, Oct. 24 & 25

BASICS OF THE BASIN 2013 RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation will host the 11th Basics of the Basin Research Symposium on October 24th and 25th. Register online as soon as possible.  Registration Fees*: Until October 18th: $75 After October 18th: $85 Students: $50 Event Day registration must be check or credit card. NO CASH please. *Fees include continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack for both days and an open bar reception on October 24th. Location: Lindy Boggs Conference Center 2045 Lakeshore Drive New Orleans, …

“A Prairie Home Companion” Oct. 12 Broadcast to be Co-sponsored by Mississippi River Delta Restoration

The Mississippi River Delta Restoration Coalition is co-sponsoring the October 12 broadcast of Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” from the restored and newly reopened Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. The Saenger was one of many historic buildings severely damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005; its reopening is an example of how the Delta region is still working to fully come back from challenges to its local environment and economy like major storms and the Gulf oil …

Timeline of the Gulf Oil Disaster: Make BP Restore

Yesterday, September 30, 2013, as phase II of the 2010 BP oil spill civil trial began in New Orleans, members of the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign gathered outside the courthouse to demand BP be held fully accountable for the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history. At 6:30 am, we debuted a brand new BP oil spill timeline video LIVE outside the courthouse on a 16-foot, high definition LED billboard in an effort to highlight the ongoing need for restoration and …

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council approves Initial Comprehensive Plan

By Estelle Robichaux, Environmental Defense Fund Last week, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council held a public meeting in New Orleans to vote on its Initial Comprehensive Plan: Restoring the Gulf Coast’s Ecosystem and Economy. The RESTORE Act, signed into law in July 2012, established the Council and tasked it with, among other duties, creating a long-term ecosystem restoration plan for the Gulf Coast region in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In his opening remarks, Louisiana Governor …

Study shows how coastal habitats help provide protection from storms, sea level rise

By Alisha Renfro, Coastal Scientist, National Wildlife Federation Coastal communities throughout the U.S. are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and extreme weather events. The conventional approach for protecting people and property along the coast has relied on engineering solutions such as levees, seawalls and bulkheads, which “harden” shorelines. However, not only can these structures be expensive to build and difficult to maintain, but in some cases, they can also increase erosion, impair the recreational uses of the area and …

Katrina and Isaac anniversaries remind us of urgent need for coastal restoration

By Amanda Moore, National Wildlife Federation This week marks the anniversaries of Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac. As we take time to remember and commemorate, we must also look to the future and commit to preparing for the next storm and protecting our communities. Even eight years after Katrina, it’s hard to forget the storms. Recovery and rebuilding remain an everyday reality in coastal Louisiana. Levees and home elevation are some of the more immediate ways to protect ourselves, but these …

Joint Ocean Commission Initiative report underscores importance of coastal restoration

By Rachel Schott, Environmental Defense Fund In June, the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, a bipartisan 16-member council representing diverse ocean interests, released a new report, “Charting the Course: Securing the Future of America’s Oceans.” The report outlines important ocean reform and coastal restoration recommendations for Congress and the Obama Administration. Being an “ocean nation,” the health of the U.S. economy is closely tied to health of its oceans. For Gulf Coast residents, this specifically means the Gulf of Mexico. The …

Oyster Reef Workshop, August 7-8 in New Orleans

The Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign Invites You to Attend the OYSTER REEF WORKSHOP   When: August 7 and 8, 2013 Where: University of New Orleans Research and Technology Park Lindy Boggs International Conference Center, Room 152 2045 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70122 The workshop is free to attend, however, please register by sending an email to therynhenkel@gmail.com including your name and affiliation. Conference materials will be archived at saveourlake.org following the workshop. Presented by:   Agenda August 7 8:30 am:   Opening …

Profiles in Coastal Restoration: Allied Concrete Company

By Will Lindsey, Environmental Defense Fund Allied Concrete Company, a 68-year-old firm based in Charlottesville, Va., is creating new business opportunities by partnering with conservation groups to deploy miles of new oyster reefs along the Gulf Coast. These reefs are composed of an innovative concrete product and create both a restored ecosystem habitat as well as a new business opportunity for Allied Concrete. In 2011, the 100-1000 Coalition began implementing a project to build 100 miles of oyster reefs in …

Gulf Tourism Depends on a Healthy Gulf

PRESS RELEASE Contacts: Molly Moore, Sanderson Strategies Group, 202.682.3700, molly@sandersonstrategies.com Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org Gulf Tourism Depends on a Healthy Gulf New report shows wildlife tourism is central to Gulf Coast economy (New Orleans—July 9, 2013) The coastal environment of the Gulf of Mexico supports a $19 billion annual wildlife tourism industry that is highly dependent on critical investments in coastal environmental restoration, according to a survey released today by Datu Research LLC. “Wildlife Tourism and the …

What does a “record-setting dead zone” mean for Louisiana’s coast?

By Rachel Schott, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign Dead zone. Words that bring images of military exercises or deserted, war-torn areas of land, but certainly not an acceptable description of a region that contains some of the nation’s most vibrant and diverse ecosystems, wildlife and habitats. Right? Recent studies released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and conducted by Louisiana State University, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, and University of Michigan scientists forecast a “record-setting dead zone” for the …

Senate hearing reviews Gulf Coast oil spill restoration efforts

By Will Lindsey, Environmental Defense Fund The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing Thursday (June 6) to review the progress that has been made to restore the Gulf Coast since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) chaired the hearing, titled “Gulf Restoration: A Progress Report Three Years after the Deepwater Horizon Disaster.” The hearing came nearly a year after passage of the RESTORE Act, legislation that allocates …

Hurricane Season 2013: Let’s prepare our coast!

By Rachel Schott, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign Preparation for hurricane season is second nature to most Louisianans. From gathering supplies to boarding up windows to mapping out evacuation routes, coastal residents acknowledge their tenuous positioning on the Gulf and the uncertain weather conditions that come from June to November. Yet with all this preparation, a question remains: Is the Louisiana coast as prepared as its residents? With the beginning of another hurricane season, the need for restoring the Mississippi River Delta …