Agency Spotlight: Jacques Boudreaux, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority

An engineer on CWPPRA’s Engineering Workgroup, Jacques Boudreaux makes sure CWPPRA restoration and protection projects meet the State of Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan.

Q: What is your job title and description? 

A: I am an Engineer 6-DCL in CPRA’s Engineering Division, dealing primarily with the design and review of engineering submittals as they pertain to the restoration side of CPRA’s Master Plan.  I also represent CPRA in CWPPRA’s Engineering Workgroup, assist the Coastal Master Plan Team on MP2023, and fulfill a few other roles here. 

Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you enjoy the most. 

A: The amount of responsibility we place on our younger staff has always been one of the most attractive things about the job to me.  If you poll around our Engineering Division for example, you’ll find out that all of our engineers are placed in lead engineering roles on multi-million dollar projects.  It’s been my experience that in the private sector, more senior level engineers are usually assigned tasks like these.  I find because of this, CPRA is a truly remarkable place to develop young engineers and scientists.  It’s tough to pick just one part of the job though. 

Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you believe is the most impactful. 

A: I think the emphasis we place on effective communication is hands down the most impactful.  To me, this transcends so much of what we’re here to do in the engineering profession.  Not only does this facilitate good working relationships when you’re on a team with multidisciplinary backgrounds, but it also helps when other engineers check your work and go through the quality control process to assure that your engineering logic is properly thought out.  This cascades out to so many other things too, like when we present our projects to all the different types of stakeholders you see on CPRA projects, such as our federal partners through the CWPPRA program, local and Parish governments, non-governmental organizations, coastal residents, the list goes on.  The leadership at CPRA and within CPRA’s Engineering Division are huge on this for sure. 

Q: What do you think is the best/easiest way community members can help restore or preserve wetlands? 

A: There are so many ways community members can get involved, but the one-sentence version is that it all boils down to knowledge.  If you are the type of person that is inquisitive and wants to better understand why things work a certain way, you’ll find out very quickly that there is no shortage of information.  Whether it be scientific literature in academic journals, engineering and design submittals, or geophysical data collection reports, there are multitudes of things out there that go into detail on the how, what, when, where, and why for all of our projects.  In addition to this, CPRA holds a series of public meetings on everything we do, such as the development of our Coastal Master Plan to name an example.  CWPPRA, of course, is one of the longest standing and most public-facing coastal restoration programs out there, one which CPRA is honored to be a partnering agency.  If anyone wants to help and figure out how to become more involved, those are great places to start. 

Q: What is your favorite recreational activity to do in the wetlands? OR Which wetland inhabitant (bird, fish, plant, etc) do you think best represents you and why? 

A: It has got to be meeting all the different characters while working throughout Coastal Louisiana.  You hear so many stories, meet such interesting and unforgettable people, and learn a lot about the remote towns/areas just by sitting back and listening to the old folks talk. 
The Pelican in Her Piety has always spoken to me—the act of selflessness and the urge to provide for those in need out of pure, unconditional love.

Q: Is there anything else that you’d like to tell us about yourself or your work in coastal protection and restoration? 

A: I have to say first and foremost thanks so much for the opportunity!  Instead of talking more about me, I want to extend a huge thank you to all those involved in coastal restoration in Louisiana.  We have some real talent here helping in this state.  But I think we all owe a debt of gratitude to the first generation of scientists that started sounding the alarm back in the 1970s.  It was them, along with folks like Senator John Breaux, who started the whole process by shining a sobering light on the coastal crisis in Louisiana which ultimately paved the way for the allocation of coastal restoration funds to Louisiana.  As a lifelong Louisiana resident, I think I speak for us all when I say we needed this yesterday. 

Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority

Project Spotlight: Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority and US Fish & Wildlife Services Partnership – New Orleans Landbridge Shoreline Stabilization and Marsh Creation (PO-169)

The New Orleans Landbridge Shoreline Stabilization & Marsh creation project will address over 100 acres of land loss on the Eastern shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

For 31 years, CWPPRA has provided the only joint Federal/State coastal restoration effort with a predictable and recurring funding stream designed to restore the vanishing wetlands of coastal Louisiana. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is our state cost-share partner and works with each of the five federal agencies to design, plan, and construct coastal restoration projects. As the local cost-share partner, CPRA matches 15% of CWPPRA’s federal funding. CWPPRA serves as a project mill for the State and other restoration programs. With project design completed by CWPPRA, other entities have a jump start on meeting their restoration goals while conserving limited financial resources.​

CWPPRA Project Fact Sheet for PO-169

Q: What is the name of the project, and where is it located? 

A: New Orleans Landbridge Shoreline Stabilization and Marsh Creation (PO-169).

The project is located in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin in Orleans Parish along U.S. Highway 90 (Chef Menteur Hwy) and near Lake Saint Catherine.  The Rigolets is immediately north of the project area. 

Q: What was the timeline for this project (start date – completion date)? 

A: The project was authorized by CWPPRA for Phase I Engineering and Design as part of Priority Project List (PPL) #24 in January, 2015.  The project was approved for Phase 2 funding in January, 2019.  The project was advertised for construction on June 18, 2021 and was awarded on August 13, 2021 (to Magnolia Dredge & Dock, LLC). The currently anticipated construction completion date is in Q4 of 2022.

Q: How many acres of wetland does this project benefit/create? 

A: The PO-169 project will create and nourish 253 acres of brackish marsh and will stabilize roughly three miles of shoreline along the U.S. Highway 90 corridor.   

Q: What is most important/impactful about this project? 

A: This project will stabilize the shoreline to reduce shoreline erosion and interior marsh loss; maintain integrity of the East Orleans Landbridge and Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne; protect fish and wildlife trust resources dependent on these marsh habitats, particularly at-risk species and species of conservation concern; and provide protection to a major hurricane evacuation route.  The vital wetland habitat to be restored exists in the vicinity of the New Orleans East Landbridge Restoration complex (001.MC.05, as shown in the 2017 Master Plan), which will work in tandem with future restoration efforts pursued in the area as part of the Coastal Master Plan.  
In addition from the USFWS, “The restoration and protection of these marshes protects a critical hurricane evacuation route for New Orleans. The project will also help maintain the integrity of Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne, preventing the coalescence, or merging, of these two large lakes.”

Q: Is there anything unique about this project you would like to bring attention to? 

A: One of the main features of this project is an innovative approach to shoreline stabilization, which is somewhat different than past shoreline protection or combined shoreline protection/marsh creation projects constructed by CPRA or implemented through the CWPPRA program. PO-0169 will be one of the first projects to utilize articulated concrete mat (ACM) armored containment dikes for shoreline stabilization at this scale. 

Photo of MCA1 looking northerly, HWY 90 and HWY 90 Bridge over The Rigolets shown.

Good all-around picture of the project site.  Photo of MCA2 and MCA1 (background), Lake Pontchartrain shown. 

Good all-around picture of the project site.  Photo of MCA2 and MCA1 (background), Lake Pontchartrain shown. 

Environmental Educator: Lindsay Seely

Lindsay Seely teaches Earth & Environmental Science at Dutchtown High School, where she uses a variety of lessons and activities that keep her students immersed in learning about our environment.

Q:  What subject(s) & grade(s) do you teach? 

A:  I teach Earth Science (11-12) and Environmental Science (10-12) in Ascension Parish at Dutchtown High School. 
 

Q:  Why is it important to you to teach about Louisiana wetlands, and how does it align with your teaching philosophy?   

A:  It is important to me to teach about our wetlands because they are at the core of who we are as Louisianians. They play such critical roles in our state and we are all impacted by them in one way or another. If students aren’t exposed to the environment that directly surrounds them, they are missing out on so much. I try to engage my students in a variety of ways to keep them interested in the content, and the best way to do that is to immerse them in activities that will get them involved in environmental education about our wetlands. I love being outside as well as sharing my passion and knowledge of the outdoors with my students, and I believe I am making a difference in their lives by getting them excited about our environment. 

Q:  In what ways do you encourage your students to be proactive/involved in environmental stewardship? 

A:  Because of my passion for the outdoors and personal experiences that have given me opportunities to learn more about our wetlands, I think it’s hard for them NOT to be encouraged by what they are learning in and out of my classroom. A lot of my students don’t realize how dire our situation is in Louisiana and want to take action after being in my class. I have had several former students contact me to tell me they changed their majors in college because of being in my class, and that is such a blessing to me to know I had that kind of impact on their lives. 

I am very adamant about recycling in my classroom so they quickly learn not to throw items away that should be recycled. Additionally, we are part of the LSU Coastal Roots Program (we grow native tree species on our campus and plant them in a local BREC park in the Baton Rouge area) which is a great way to get my students involved in being better stewards, and it is really eye-opening to them when they realize how important this work is to the environment. 

LSU Coastal roots

NATGEO Educator certification Program

esri arcgis video challenge for k-12teachers

Q: Describe your favorite lesson/activity that you use in your classroom to teach about Louisiana  wetlands.   

A:  This is a tough one because I have had so many amazing experiences doing various workshops around our state, and I am able to take all of that information back to my classroom to share with my students. I guess if I had to pick one though it would probably have to do with water quality testing on campus and mapping stream/river pathways using the USGS Streamer website. The combination of these activities is a great way to show students the impacts they can directly have on our wetlands if they are not careful about how they dispose of their trash. My students made story maps about our local waterways and the pollutants that are found in them. I used this activity as my capstone project for my National Geographic Educator Certification two years ago and won a national award for the ESRI Teacher Challenge on how I use GIS in my classroom last year. It was very rewarding for me to see how much they appreciated this activity because it truly opened their eyes to issues going on around us in our part of the state. 
 

Q:  What would you say to a student who is hesitant or not interested in participating in a lesson about  Louisiana wetlands? 

A: I would tell them to take the time to experience being in one of our many wetlands throughout the state. I would hope they would come back to tell me how enjoyable it was or what a great learning experience it was. I might ask them a series of questions like “Do you enjoy hunting or fishing? Do you enjoy birdwatching? Do you enjoy nature photography? Do you enjoy eating Louisiana seafood? Do you enjoy recreational activities throughout our state?” If they answer “Yes” to any of these questions, then they have a connection to our wetlands. Making the content relevant to their lives is critical to keeping them interested, engaged, and motivated to be better environmental stewards. 

Advocate article: “Dutchtown High School teacher creates winning video on use of (arcgis) mapping software”

Wetland Warrior: Nic Dixon

An avid birder, duck hunter, and critical thinker, Nic Dixon works to share his appreciation for Louisiana’s wetlands with communities along the coast.

Q:  What is your job title and affiliation? 

A:   Outreach Associate for the National Audubon Society

Audubon Louisiana

Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition

Q:  How did you get started in this field and how long have you been doing this type of work? 

A:   It began at Louisiana State University’s school of Renewable Natural Resources. I’ve been in this field of work for around 10 years – starting with the field and lab positions that I held in college, up to today, working in the environmental nonprofit sector.

Q:  Describe the part of your job/role that you enjoy the most. 

A:   An enjoyable part of my job is whenever I’m getting to share the beauty of Coastal Louisiana. Whether that is producing a video of a New Orleans chef cooking up wild game harvested from the marshes of Barataria Basin, or giving a boat tour of a novel Ibis rookery in a freshwater diversion outfall area – coastal Louisiana has a lot to offer, and it feels good to help people realize that.
 

Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you believe is the most impactful.   

A:   This question is something that I dwell on occasionally. Our work is part of a complex machine that aims to restore the coast, so it’s really hard to say what component contributes more or less. If I attended some meeting, or if I got one more community member to make a public comment, would that contribute to even an additional grain of sand being deposited? Each component of the coastal restoration complex is very alienated from the actual production of coastal land. Even if I was the person pulling the lever on a dredge, that action is just the end of a very long line – and besides, we can’t all have our hands on that lever. 

If I had to take a guess, the most impactful thing that I do is providing my perspective of what is happening around us, be that through some form of storytelling or reconnaissance of something I see in the field, or my interpretation of a policy proposal – and with that, I hope it gives people additional context when they make decisions on where to focus their energy in daily life.

Right now, I think the best way to preserve wetlands is to get out and be in them.

Nic Dixon, National Audubon Society

Q:  What do you think is the best/easiest way people can help restore or preserve wetlands? 

A:  My answer to this question relates to the answer that I gave above. Like, can’t folks just get out there and start shoveling? It wouldn’t have an impact. Solving the problem will take a massive amount of resources and centralized decision making, and combine that with the fact that this problem isn’t material for most people, individual action would never get the job done. It’s not like an issue of “Oh, I’m hungry. I’ll need to get some food now.” The issue of preserving wetlands still greatly affects us, but there are many degrees of separation between the issue and our perceived everyday survival. 

Right now, I think the best way to preserve wetlands is to get out and be in them. Develop an understanding of them as they are, and over time, you will be able to identify what state they are in, and then be able to discuss that knowledge with your friends, family, and community. Science is a tool for having a standardized understanding, but you could also develop an academic or artistic understanding – there is a lot of literature and arts out there that can help us perceive the natural world. If you do not have the ability to get around in the wetlands, you can still observe the ecological indicators of wetland health. That’s one of the cool things about birds, since many species are migratory and rely on multiple habitat types, if you notice a change of birds in your own backyard there could be changes going on habitats that they rely on elsewhere, such as the wetlands!

Q: In your opinion why is coastal restoration in Louisiana important? For folks out of state, why is Louisiana’s coastal restoration work important for the nation? 

A:   Our ecological connections run deep and intertwine with the rest of the world. There are also good cases made on the societal and economic connections too. What more can I say? I don’t want to bore y’all with even more than what I wrote above.
 

Q: What is your favorite recreational activity to do in the wetlands?  

A:   Duck hunting on public land out of a pirogue. I like it because it’s something basically anyone can do with just a few hundred bucks, some courage, and a lot of trial and error – it feels more competitive than hunting on private land, or relying on machinery. But my opinion on this is probably just cope for not being able to spend money on all the nice stuff. I don’t want to be a hater because I’m just happy people are finding ways to get outside. And I do have to admit my current way of hunting is a real physical challenge – I’m sure I’ll get a boat or some land and join the petite bourgeois hunters, but for now, I’ll enjoy duck hunting on hard mode.

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Seafood Spotlight: Dupuy’s Seafood & Steak Restaurant, Abbeville, LA

Dupuy’s has enjoyed over 146 years of success in its original location in Abbeville, Louisiana. World-famous for the oysters on the 1/2 shell and outstanding seafood, Dupuy’s is continuing the tradition and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Dupuy’s Abbeville

Dupuy’s Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients
¾ cup oil
¾ cup flour
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cups water
Salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
1 pound headless shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound of claw crabmeat
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup chopped green onions
Cooked rice

Directions:

1. In a skillet, make a dark brown roux with oil and flour; add bell pepper, celery, and onion.
2. Cook until onions are transparent.
3. Gradually add water; continue to cook 1 hour.
4. Adjust seasoning to taste.
5. Add shrimp, crabmeat, parsley, and green onions: simmer 10 minutes.
6. Serve over rice in bowl.
7. Yields 6 to 8 servings.
   

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Wetland Warrior: Dean Blanchard

Dean Blanchard has been working with the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program since 1997, where he now serves as the Deputy Director.

Q:  What is your job title and affiliation? 

A:   Deputy Director, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP)
 

Q:  How did you get started in this field and how long have you been doing this type of work? 

A:   After graduating from LSU, I started with the Department of Environmental Quality-Criminal Investigation Section for 5 years. I then moved to BTNEP as the Habitat Enhancement Coordinator 24 years ago.

Q:  Describe the part of your job/role that you enjoy the most. 

A:   I enjoy working in the wetlands on coastal restoration projects that have multiple functions and impacts such as spending many hours planting with volunteers on the Port Fourchon Maritime Forest Ridge project.  This project has provided value habitat, storm protection, and educational opportunities for 20 years.
 

Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you believe is the most impactful.   

A:   I believe the most impactful part of my job is doing my part in securing the funding for BTNEP every year, by educating the Louisiana federal Congressional Delegation and working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  This action helps to provide Louisiana with funding for one of the 28 National Estuary Programs in our country.
 

Q:  What do you think is the best/easiest way people can help restore or preserve wetlands? 

A:  I think people can help the most by educating themselves about the wetland’s functions and values, most importantly storm protection and provided valuable fisheries and habitat.

Q: In your opinion why is coastal restoration in Louisiana important? For folks out of state, why is Louisiana’s coastal restoration work important for the nation? 

A:   Coastal restoration is important to Louisiana for many reasons, but most importantly is storm protection.  Coastal restoration is important to the nation because the wetlands provide protection for the oil and gas infrastructure that in turn provides oil and gas to the nation.  Also important is the large percentage of seafood Louisiana wetlands provide to the nation.
 

Q: What is your favorite recreational activity to do in the wetlands?

A:   I am an avid hunter and fisherman and have enjoyed just being in the wetlands for most of my life.

BTNEP

Artist & Advocate: Brandon Ballengée

An artist and scientist, Brandon Ballengée, uses his unique background to highlight the biodiversity of Louisiana’s wetland ecosystems.

Q:  Please describe your work and the medium/media you use. Why do you make this type of art? 

A:  My work is inspired by biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as the loss of both. The medium, process, and materials are driven by the underlying idea of what I am trying to convey. The visual art itself is made from diverse mediums including large-scale light sculptures to spotlight arthropod diversity along with trans-species happenings, living plants and animals displaced in temporary enclosures to highlight local flora and fauna, large-scale high-resolution scanner photographs, monumental installations created from preserved marine life, depictions of species ‘cut’ from history because of extinction and framed to frame their absence, and many others.  

Q:  What is most striking or inspirational to you about the wetland landscape?   

A:  The diversity of life in wetlands, their variety and adaptations. Also, the relationships between species and their environments. What we can learn from these species and ecosystems.

Q:  In what ways has the Louisiana wetland landscape changed in your lifetime? 

A: Since my time on this planet, Louisiana has lost over 2000 square miles of wetlands, and at least 7 species of endemic Gulf of Mexico fishes (those found nowhere else in the world) have not been reported and are currently missing. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster remains the largest oil spill in modern history and the MC20/ Taylor spill has continued leaking crude into the Gulf since 2004.  More so, since I have been alive we have lost over 40% of the global population of amphibians and upwards of 70% of all wildlife. These environmental challenges are both local and global in scale and often very complex. To face this milieu of issues, we need the creativity of artists, scientists and those focused on other disciplines combined to creatively address such challenges we and other species currently face.

Q: Why is it important to you to create art about Louisiana wetlands? 

A:  To inspire others to appreciate and protect them! Louisiana is a special biologically rich part of our world! Louisiana wetlands and the Gulf of Mexico are our “Amazon rainforest” for us in North America. We should be proud of these natural resources and work hard to protect them for future generations!

Q:  In your opinion why is coastal restoration in Louisiana is important? For folks out of state, why is  Louisiana’s coastal restoration work important for the nation? 

A: We in South Louisiana are the Bellwether for climate change. If we adapt and survive there is hope for communities around the world. As bleak as many projections are, we should still have hope because restoration works, remediation works, conservation works. All of these scientific tools can and will help many of our coastal communities adapt. We need our collective will to bring these solutions to reality. Art is a powerful way to reach people and I believe it will be an important tool helping to lead us to adaptation.

Q: How does your art challenge existing barriers and assumptions about our environmental crisis? 

A: I strive to inspire discussion and actions toward conservation. Often people feel that environmental problems are too large and too widespread for individuals to make a difference. This is absolutely not the case. All of our individual actions every day have an influence on ecosystems and biodiversity: what we chose to eat; how we live; where we live; how we travel; if we own land, what to do with it; how we discuss these ideas with others; and on an on.  

We are part of a larger living community and can individually and collectively make large differences. In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”  

Following this concept, my family (my wife Aurore Ballengée and our two children Victor and Lily) and I have started the Atelier de la Nature project. Six years ago we began to transform heavily farmed land in south Louisiana (between Arnaudville and Cecilia) into a nature reserve and eco-campus. By sculpting the lands with specialized native species (helping to break-down pesticide residue and deter erosion), and are working to reestablish ‘Cajun’ prairie (ecosystems found here prior to modernity), planted over 1000 regional native trees (to regrow a forest), and created pollinator habitats from native hibiscus, swamp milkweed, and many more regional plants (to aid declining butterflies, like the Monarch which is in on the verge of endangered, native bees and others. 

The Atelier de la Nature project has already yielded results in the ecological sense with many dozens of species of birds and mammals returning, many species of amphibians and reptiles currently occupying the property, countless insects, all coming back to once barren land. In the human communal sense, hundreds of youth have helped with restoration of the lands or participated in our programs. As climate continues to change and species disappear, some of us, many of us will slow down and even halt this through creative solutions. Life will persist if we let it. Life will thrive if we give it a means. 

Q:  Where can people view your work (displayed in galleries or links to websites)? 

A: Now through January 8, The Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette has a large scale exhibition of my works.  This large-scale exhibition, curated by Jaik Faulk, showcases 10 years of my work related to the environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, from Collapse (2012) to, for the first time, my most recent series of Crude Oil Paintings (2020-21) and new works related to the ongoing MC20/Taylor oil spill, as well as a selection of works from the series The Frameworks of Absence (2006-Ongoing), my new series VII (2021), and the outdoor light sculpture Love Motel for Insect: Monarch Variation (2021).

The Age of Loneliness at the Acadiana Center for the Arts

We welcome visitors to the Atelier de la Nature year around. Please contact us for an appointment and list of current programs.

Studio Website

Contact Info

You can also join me for a “Fantastic Fishes Workshop and Tour of the Royal D. Suttkus Fish Collection,” an art-science program on fish species diversity, natural history and learn to draw fish! These workshops will take place at the Tulane University’s Royal D. Suttkus Fish Collection (the largest collection of preserved fishes on the planet!) in Belle Chasse and happen monthly between November 2021 through January 2023.

Email for Registration

Artist & Advocate: Dominic & Nadia Gill, Encompass Films

Dominic Gill is a former environmental consultant who formed Encompass Films with his producing partner Nadia Gill in 2011 who created a 5-part digital mini-series that looks at what it is like to confront the reality of Louisiana’s coastal crisis today.

Q:  Please describe your work and the medium/media you use. Why do you make this type of art? 

A:  We are documentary filmmakers that make both short-form and feature-length documentary films. It is an exciting area to work in, with the appetite for documentary content being larger than ever before. Documenting real life, and particularly where the natural world and humanity meet, has always interested me, and with today’s camera technology, the way in which we can capture these stories can be every bit as compelling as narrative films. 

Q:  What is most striking or inspirational to you about the wetland landscape?   

A:    The wetland landscape is unique and inspiring to me particularly because it hides in plain sight. The incredible patchwork of water, marsh, sand bars, and swamp all teeming with life is hidden behind grass curtains to all except those that can fly above it and see the maize of diversity they contain. 

Q:  In what ways has the Louisiana wetland landscape changed in your lifetime? 

A:  While I am not native to Louisiana, I have even in our short months working in the region seen marked change, whether that be on a micro level, seeing the edges of marshes falling away into increasingly saline waters, or macro, as storm such as Ida have all but destroyed the towns of those we have become close with through the work we’ve done. 

Q: Why is it important to you to create art about Louisiana wetlands? 

A:  The Louisiana wetlands have no overlook, like Yosemite or the Tetons. They don’t benefit from having their natural beauty on show for all to see. This is why we must work to bring these sights, no less awe-inspiring than the granite domes of the Sierra or the iridescent waters of Lake Tahoe,  to the public. People love what they know, and protect what they love.

Q:  In your opinion why is coastal restoration in Louisiana is important? For folks out of state, why is  Louisiana’s coastal restoration work important for the nation? 

A:  Louisiana’s coast is rich with life. It is a crucial breeding and migratory habitat for marine life as well as birds. This alone is reason enough to protect this land and water. However, for those with a more industrial bent, The Mississippi Delta is one of the busiest shipping terminals in the world, and a major artery for US commerce, including the extractive but still necessary oil and gas industry. As the wetlands disappear, the threat that storms pose to the Mississippi’s levees grows dramatically, and there may come a point if we don’t act when breaches to these levees will cripple the country’s economy.

Q: How does your art challenge existing barriers and assumptions about our environmental crisis? 

A: We chose to tell the stories of a selection of people that live and breathe Louisiana’s wetlands, people that are at the forefront of this dynamic and changing ecosystem. Many of these people need the wetlands to survive, but they also need in some cases the economic engine of some of the extractive industries that are degrading the land and water around them. Solutions are rarely as simple in cases like this as those observing from afar may choose to believe.

Q:  Where can people view your work (displayed in galleries or links to websites)? 

Last Call For the Bayou

YouTube

Encompass Films

article by restore the Mississippi river delta

Wetland Warrior: Richie Blink

Captain Richie Blink has spent a lifetime on the bayous of Louisiana studying its wetlands, people, and economy. As a captain, pilot, and councilman, Richie works with his community to restore their home of Plaquemines Parish through the development of grassroots coastal restoration projects.

Q:  What is your job title and affiliation? 

A:   I am the Director of Delta Discovery Tours, and I’m an ecotourism operator and outfitter 
in the Mississippi River Delta.

Q:  How did you get started in this field and how long have you been doing this type of work? 

A:   I’ve been doing this work since at least 2015 when I incorporated, but a lot longer before that. Any time friends would have folks coming into New Orleans, they would say “You’ve got to go on a boat with Richie Blink. He’s going to bring you out into the delta and really help you understand what’s going on down there,” so that’s really how it all started out.

Delta Discovery Tours

Q:  Describe the part of your job/role that you enjoy the most. 

A:   I enjoy just being out on the water and being in nature. I enjoy seeing the daily changes that are happening to the delta.

Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you believe is the most impactful.   

A:   I love bringing people into areas of new wetland growth to show them the land-building power of the Mississippi River.

Q:  What do you think is the best/easiest way people can help restore or preserve wetlands? 

A:  There’s different ways that folks can plug in. It just depends on their abilities and preferences. Some people might find it useful to contact our elected officials and tell them that this is important to them and their neighbors. Other folks might be able to do some volunteer work, like with Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL). They have a number of different ways you can join in, whether it’s the oyster shell recycling program building reefs and community sites or tree planting. There are some really great programs that the Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) has going on, like their beach sweeps down at Elmer’s Island, which is a really beautiful and dynamic environment.  

CRCL Volunteer Info

BTNEP Volunteer INfo

Q: In your opinion why is coastal restoration in Louisiana important? For folks out of state, why is Louisiana’s coastal restoration work important for the nation? 

A:   The port complex from Baton Rouge to Gulf of Mexico, while there’s five political sub-divisions, is the largest port complex on the planet by tonnage. There’s a massive amount of cargo that’s moved out of there. This wetland buffer helps create a layer of protection between the destructive forces of hurricane storm surges and those facilities. Also, the culture here is really unique and really important, and it adds to the gumbo pot of flavors we have here in Louisiana.

Q: What is your favorite recreational activity to do in the wetlands?

A:   I really love camping in the wetlands – going out into these uninhabited barrier islands or these really impenetrable places in the swamps and finding a little spot with your favorite folks and pitching a tent. 

Agency Spotlight: January Murray, NOAA

January Murray is a fish biologist for NOAA’s Southeast Regional Office – Habitat Conservation Division and project manager on CWPPRA restoration and protection projects.

Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you enjoy the most.

A: The part of my job I enjoy the most is working as team with other agencies and establishing partnerships and friendships with other likeminded environmentally conscientious individuals. I take pride in knowing my influences as a CWPPRA project manager facilitate the restoration of marsh habitat in Louisiana. 

Q: Describe the part of your job/role that you believe is the most impactful.

A: The best part of my job is visiting a restoration site before, during, and after construction. With aerial photography, we can tell the story of the restoration project overtime. The most impactful message about a project can be provided to the public through a time series of photographs and videos highlighting the construction process where they can see open water transform into marsh habitat. These newly created and nourished marsh habitats benefit the general public in many ways: recreation in the forms of boating, fishing, and experiencing nature; bird watching; and restoration of wetlands aids in the reduction of storm induced scouring and saltwater intrusion.   

Q: What do you think is the best/easiest way community members can help restore or preserve wetlands?

A: Getting the community involved in coastal restoration is step one. Step two is educating our youth on the importance of coastal habitats so they understand from an early age the value of these unique habitats and the ecosystem functions and services they provide. Instilling a sense of stewardship and connecting our youth with nature is the best way community members can help restore and preserve wetlands. Additionally, generating curiosity about wetlands and establishing STEM Programs for our youth will help to create the next generation of fisheries and wildlife biologists, coastal engineers, and educators. The CWPPRA Program invests in coastal restoration, but these projects do more than create habitats. Through education and outreach to our community, the Program helps to create the next generation of scientists to protect and restore coastal Louisiana. 

Q: What is your favorite recreational activity to do in the wetlands?

A: My favorite activities to do in wetlands are CWPPRA fieldwork, driving the boat, and being out on the water experiencing the joys of nature in the marsh and bayous. Seeing fish and wildlife thriving in their natural habitat is my favorite recreational activity. Exploring and appreciating nature and has a very calming effect on me.  

Q: Is there anything else that you’d like to tell us about yourself or your work in coastal protection and restoration? 

A: I am the federal project manager for the Breton Landbridge Marsh Creation (West) River aux Chenes to Grand Lake (BS-0038) project located in Breton Basin, Plaquemines Parish. The specific goals of the project are: (1) to create and nourish 561 acres of intermediate marsh, (2) to maximum the amount of time the created marsh platform is intertidal throughout the 20-year design life of the project, and (3) to use three lake dike designs to provide enhanced containment along the southern perimeter of Grand Lake. The overall landbridge concept incorporates marsh and shoreline restoration in a west-to-east configuration across the basin to reduce storm induced scouring and saltwater intrusion, to reduce marsh loss due to wind induced erosion, and to raise the marsh elevation with dredged sediment to reduce the coalescence of water bodies. This project will be competing for Phase II construction funding in December 2021.  

Breton Landbridge Marsh Creation BS-38