Ridgeland, MS, November 22, 2004 - Ducks Unlimited has received $25,000 from Sempra Energy LNG to help restore approximately 6,451 acres of coastal wetlands on Black Lake Marsh in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

Chad Courville, Regional Biologist with Ducks Unlimited (DU), has witnessed coastal marsh loss first-hand. "Coastal marshes have been deteriorating since man-made navigation canals changed the natural water-flow patterns on the landscape, allowing saltwater to intrude into areas of the marsh where vegetation is less tolerant of high salinity," said Courville. "The stressed vegetation dies, leaving large areas of shallow open-water characterized by relatively unproductive turbid water void of submerged aquatic vegetation that is beneficial to wintering waterfowl."

The Black Lake Marsh is located in Cameron Parish just north of Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and near the town of Hackberry, Louisiana. Specifically, DU and its partners will restore 6,451 acres of brackish marsh:


Renovate eastern levee to prevent breach in levee system;


Install five water control structures to effectively manage water levels and reduce salinity variability.


"Restoration of wetland hydrology is essential to return this vast area of deteriorating marsh along Louisiana's Gulf Coast into a sustainable ecosystem," says Hugh Bateman, Director of Conservation Programs in Louisiana (DU), when asked about the significance of this project. "Sempra Energy has provided much needed funds that will be used to restore these critical coastal wetlands, while improving foraging habitat conditions for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife and fish species."

"Sempra Energy develops projects that balance consumer need for reliable and competitively priced energy with efforts to minimize the impact and maximize the benefits the project has upon the environment," said Darcel L. Hulse, president, Sempra Energy LNG. "Helping restore and preserve the wetlands near our project in Cameron Parish illustrates our strong commitment to protecting and conserving the environment."

As project objectives are achieved, Black Lake Marsh will increase in abundance and quality of submerged aquatic vegetation, thus resembling an emergent coastal marsh. Over time, emergent vegetation will spread across the project area. Large, open-water areas will be replaced by highly productive shallow ponds that provide excellent habitat for waterfowl.

Ken Babcock, Director of Operations at DU's Southern Regional Office, welcomes the new partnership with Sempra Energy to restore waterfowl habitat on Black Lake Marsh. "We are proud to partner with Sempra Energy, their contribution will result in real, on-the-ground wetlands conservation. The net result is more waterfowl foraging habitat, improved fisheries, better birding, and a healthier coastal ecosystem."

The partners associated with the Black Lake restoration project include: North American Wetlands Conservation Council, Ducks Unlimited, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cameron Parish Gravity Drainage District #5, Vermilion Corporation, Sempra Energy, U.S. Geological Survey, and private landowners.

Contact: Chad Manlove, Manager of Conservation Planning, cmanlove@ducks.org

With more than a million a supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest wetland and waterfowl conservation group. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands - nature's most productive ecosystems - and continues to lose more than 100,000 wetland acres every year.