Coastal Latest & Greatest: 3 Ways We’re Keeping Mardi Gras Rolling
A weekly round-up of what’s new in Louisiana coastal restoration
Quiz: What Kind of Louisianian Are You?
Now that you’ve discovered your true personality with our new quiz, it’s time to go to the Mardi Gras!
Filled with food, fun and family, Mardi Gras has a little something for everyone in Louisiana; and our coast is what makes it all possible. From Cameron to Plaquemines, our coastal wetlands and natural defenses protect our communities and our unique way of life.
So how ever you celebrate—hosting king cake competitions, chasing chickens, or trying to catch the coveted coconut—here are three ways that coastal restoration is working to keep your Mardi Gras rolling for generations to come.
1) Lafayette. “If you live in South Louisiana, it’s easy to understand the value of the coastal marshes that help protect us from storm surge. Our homes and our lives depend on the strength of wetlands,” states this Times-Picayune editorial, “Louisiana wetlands are worth a fortune in protection.” A recent study by The Dogwood Alliance puts a dollar figure on Louisiana’s wetland forests at $74.9 billion. This will help prove to Congress why we should invest in their protection.
2) Lake Charles. “Unlike generations past, we have the tools to stave off the gulf’s many threats, and the leadership in place to use them wisely,” says a recent article by the American Press, “Water Institute offers coastal solutions.” This story explores how The Water Institute of the Gulf, the state’s Coastal Master Plan and other groups are coming together to save southwest Louisiana’s coast through sediment studies, new flooding simulations and more.
3) Baton Rouge. “This Giant, Working Model Of The Mississippi Could Help Save Louisiana,” a Co.Design story by Katharine Schwab highlights Baton Rouge’s (breathtaking) Mississippi River model. Schwab writes, “The super-realistic model is part of an effort to understand how the area will be impacted by climate change and other environmental phenomena in the future.”
Throwback: While we’re on the topic of Mardi Gras, check out last year’s blog, “Mardi Gras Pass Is Building Land. Here’s Why It’s Important.”