Ecological Restoration of the Louisiana Coastal Marsh

Since 1990s, the Louisiana coastal marsh (known also as part of wetland habitat) has been changed.

Picure: Talita A. Maia

 We are losing a huge part of coastal marsh generally because of the decrease of sediment delivery resulting from navigation and flood controls on the Mississippi River, saltwater intrusion into previously fresh and brackish coastal marshes, dredge and fill activities associated with the exploitation of the area's mineral resources, and natural geological subsidence of Holocene Mississippi River Delta plain sediment.

 The estimated losses of these Louisiana coastal marsh areas are approximately 25 square per year.

Picture: Talita A. Maia

In an attempt to combat coastal marsh loss and converse the biodiversity of those areas, many types of projects have been planned and implemented.

We had the great opportunity to visit one of these ecological restoration area near New Orleans and understand better this project of ecological restoration. 

Ecological restoration of the wetland habitats is crucial for the biodiversity of the complex ecosystem. Also these areas have a huge effect in the commercial seafood, oil and gas.

Picture: Talita A. Maia

Picture: Talita A. Maia