On September 16, 2021, one of the most threatened wetland landscapes in North America became a movie star when it was the focus of Ducks Unlimited’s (DU) latest Conserve Film, Louisiana Gulf Coast.
Millions of acres of coastal habitat have been lost in the region, and DU and partners are working to stop wetlands loss and restore habitat in coastal Louisiana.
“It’s a wonderful place and we can make a difference there, we can bring it back to its former glory,” said Cox Enterprises Chairman and former Wetlands America Trust President Jim Kennedy. “It’s going to take a lot of effort and a lot of money, but the James M. Cox Foundation is proud to be one of the contributors to that effort.”
One effective method of restoring coastal habitat is installing terrace systems in eroded areas.
The terraces are arranged in an alternating pattern at 30-degree angles and are approximately 1000 feet long, 40 feet wide at the base, and about 10 feet wide at the top. The surface of each terrace is approximately 2 feet above water level and is planted with native vegetation to reduce erosion.
DU’s Director of Southern Region Conservation Programs Mike Carloss lives in Louisiana and understands the habitat and what must be done to save it.
“It’s the diversity of that landscape that makes it unique,” Carloss said. “It’s the rice fields, it’s the coastal marsh from brackish to freshwater. It’s the big and beautiful swamps. All these habitats are critical for waterfowl survival along the gulf coast. It’s our job, DU and partners, to put the work in to save it.”
DU relies not only on state and federal assistance but on individual and corporate support as well. The James M. Cox Foundation donated $1.1 million to DU’s Gulf Coast Initiative this spring.
Photo of alligator in Louisiana via Pixabay.