"A Sustainable Coastal Louisiana: What will it take to get there? "

Dr. Denise Reed, Professor, Department of Earth & Environmental Science, University of New Orleans

Summary by Gerald Bright , MESc 2008

Denise Reed began her lecture with an overview of the natural and anthropogenic factors that mitigate coastal Louisiana’s physical response to changes in sea-level. The combination of these natural and anthropogenic factors has changed both the landscape of Louisiana and the equilibrium flow of materials through the system. The effects of residential, commercial and industrial development have manifested themselves through: production-induced subsidence; fluctuation in accommodation space; and both drastic decreases in sediment deposition from the Mississippi River system and loss of sediment to the deep Gulf respectively due to flood control and navigation implements. Consequently, by altering the system’s natural cycle, phenomenon like delta subsidence, loss of wetlands and sea level rise act to multiply the magnitude and destruction of disturbances like Hurricane Katrina.
           

The rest of Reed’s lecture was devoted to past, present and future restoration efforts on the LA coast. The projects had many similarities, most of which focused on enhancing the ability of the coast and its surrounding natural assets (i.e. wetlands, marshes, barrier islands, etc.) to self-organize and protect the terrestrial landscape from water-related disturbances while restoring ecosystem functionality and sustainability. Research, management and implementation are challenging though, given the multi- stakeholder use of the coastal and riverine waters and resources. As discussed by Denise Reed, the only way that the land [marshes] can keep pace with subsidence and sea-level rise is to maintain current land, decrease land loss and to rebuild what was lost. These feats are moderately feasible theoretically, but to implement changes, one needs funding, and a comprehensive, inclusive plan that can integrate a number of factors. These include: ecosystem restoration, coastal protection and sustainable human use of the coastal waterways.
           

While past efforts have been hindered due to combinations of these factors, current projects seem progressive and Dr. Reed was optimistic about their future outcomes. She ended her lecture by discussing her current project entitled: “Envisioning the Future of the Gulf Coast.” A collaborative effort by 35 world renowned scientists, the project envisions a coastal Louisiana landscape that protects against water-related disturbances, supports healthy, sustainable and biodiverse ecosystems, while nevertheless maintaining the extraction of goods and services by humans.