Southern Louisiana Partners Awarded $3.4 million for Coastal Wetland Habitat Enhancements
Raccourci Bay and Creole Marsh’s wetland improvements will benefit waterfowl and reduce coastal erosion.
Raccourci Bay and Creole Marsh’s wetland improvements will benefit waterfowl and reduce coastal erosion.
Ducks Unlimited (DU) and its partners in Southern Louisiana recently received two North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants that will enhance and restore 4,960 acres of coastal wetlands near Terrebonne Parish’s Raccourci Bay and south of Creole in Cameron Parish.
“The securing of $3.4 million in federal funds via these two grants is a huge win for South Louisiana,” said Cassidy Lejeune, DU director of Conservation Programs for South Louisiana.
“Our team of DU biologists did a fantastic job at piecing together these two NAWCA proposals, which were ranked first and second in the nation. The federal and matching funds that are available through these grants will result in highly important habitat enhancement work in both southeast and southwest Louisiana.”
Project Highlight: Raccourci Bay Marsh Enhancement II
The areas of the Raccourci Bay Marsh Enhancement II project are in the Terrebonne Basin of coastal Louisiana, which has an extremely high wetland loss rate. This second phase of the project will build on previous wetland restoration enhancements, adding an additional 1,645 acres of coastal wetlands to help offset Louisiana’s dramatic coastal wetland loss. These improved wetlands will provide quality habitat for numerous bird species and other wetland-dependent wildlife.
Ducks Unlimited’s partners on this project include ConocoPhillips, Apache Louisiana Minerals, and Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.
Project Highlight: Creole Marsh III
The primary objective of the Creole Marsh III project is the enhancement and protection of coastal marshes in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. This project will maintain and increase marsh diversity and provide quality habitat for numerous bird species and other wetland-dependent wildlife. This project will build on habitat from two previous stages of conservation work and includes 3,315 acres of wetland enhancement.
Ducks Unlimited’s partners on this project include Cameron Parish Police Jury, Cameron Parish Gravity Drainage District 4, Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and a private landowner.
Since its inception in 1989, NAWCA grants totaling more than $1.83 billion have leveraged $3.75 billion in contributions from partners. These contributions have far exceeded match requirements, allowing for the successful implementation of wetland habitat restoration projects across North America. Federal and non-federal funding has resulted in the conservation of more than 30 million acres of wetlands and associated uplands across North America. The abundance of wildlife, including many species of waterfowl, other migratory birds, fish and mammals supported by wetlands, translates into multi-billion-dollar activities for Americans who enjoy hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and photography.
NAWCA partnership grants play an important role in meeting DU’s mission, from restoring altered wetlands and enhancing water quality to reducing soil erosion and mitigating the damaging effects of floods. In addition, many projects provide outstanding recreational opportunities, like hunting and bird watching.
“Since its inception in 1989, NAWCA has seen unrivaled success in restoring North America’s threatened migratory bird habitats,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. “These projects not only support natural places, but they are also good for local economies, support outdoor recreation, improve our water quality, reduce erosion and protect against flooding. We thank our friends in Congress for supporting this vital program and look forward to getting these projects underway in southern Louisiana.”
Visit DU’s dedicated NAWCA webpage to learn more.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetland and grassland 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.
Media Contact:
Nathan Ratchford
Conservation Communications Coordinator
(570) 406-4925