$6.25 million coastal resiliency project coming to Lafourche Parish
Ducks Unlimited awarded monumental National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant
December 12, 2023 •
2
min read
photo credit: Scott Graham, Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited was recently awarded $6.25 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to construct living shorelines and marsh terraces in Lafourche Parish. Grant support will be combined with $300,000 in match funds provided by Lafourche Parish Government, ConocoPhillips, and Apache Louisiana Minerals for a total investment of $6,551,900 for the conservation project. The grants were awarded through the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF), a partnership between NFWF, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Defense, Shell USA, TransRe, SalesForce and Oxy.
The conservation organization will facilitate the construction of 10,000 linear feet of living shoreline and 88,650 linear feet of marsh terraces along Highway 1.
“Projects of this nature provide numerous benefits to both people and wildlife,” said Scott Graham, Ducks Unlimited Regional Biologist. “Terracing is effective at reducing wave energy, thereby increasing water quality through reduced turbidity, allowing sunlight for submerged aquatic vegetation to establish. This vegetation then provides habitat for fish and other wildlife.” Terraces provide storm surge protection, help prevent shoreline erosion rates, and provide habitat for waterfowl and other marsh birds.
Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are critical natural resources and an economic driver for the region. The state’s coastal wetlands protect local communities and nationally important energy infrastructure from storm events; provide nursery grounds for fish and shellfish to support a $2.4 billion seafood industry; sustain a $12.2 billion outdoor recreation economy; and provide breeding, migrating and wintering habitat for millions of waterfowl and other birds. With the highest coastal wetland loss rate of any state in the U.S., Louisiana has lost over 1.2 million acres of coastal wetlands since the 1930s and could lose the same amount or more over the next 50 years without adequate restoration efforts.
A full list of projects receiving funding can be found here.
For more information, visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to follow DU’s Twitter feed – @DucksUnlimited and @DUConserve – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 16 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people in all 50 states. DU is growing its mission through a historic $3 billion Conservation For A Continent capital campaign. Learn more at www.ducks.org.
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Emily Austin
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