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- According to the Louisiana Costal Area (LCA), Louisiana’s coastal
wetlands are among the most productive and important natural assets in
the Nation.
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This natural wetland was created through the deltaic processes of the
Mississippi River and is home to a diversity of fish, birds, and other
wildlife. While this coastal wetland is remarkable in its own words, it
is struggling for survival. In order for the Louisiana coastal
ecosystem to survive, measures must be taken to restore and protect the
natural habitat of this area.
Fortunately, the LCA is doing just that.
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Their main goal is to restore the Louisiana coastal ecosystem to its
natural state, along with the Mississippi and Texas coast. Their plan
includes identification of critical ecological needs and then to
implement a plan that will allow them to effectively address those
issues.
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In the past years, the Louisiana coast has taken some hard hits from
hurricanes, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels. Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita were among the most devastating natural disasters to hit the
coast, wiping out 217 square miles of coastal wetlands in just two days
(US Army Corps). According to the US Army Corps of Engineering,
Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are eroding at an alarming rate. This
loss of land is due in part to environmental impacts, such as
dredging. Dredging is an excavation operation used in many offshore
oil rigs and Louisiana accounts for much of the nations offshore oil
rigs. This puts an enormous stress on the Louisiana coast because the
pipelines and drilling rigs are vulnerable to hurricane damage which can
create oil spills, as we’ve seen with the BP oil spill, or a hike in
gas prices, as we are seeing now.
Another factor in destroying the coastal wetlands is the man-made structures that line the coastal areas.
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