Breaux Act Newsflash - Regional Effort to Receive National Coastal America Partnership Award
***********************************************************************Date: October, 30, 2007
Contact: 504.433.4000 or 504.453.4934
Regional Effort to Receive
National Coastal America Partnership Award
Belle Chasse, Louisiana. Woodlands Trail and Park, a nonprofit
organization in Louisiana, and 14 of their local, regional and national
partners are slated to receive the Coastal America Partnership Award at 11
a.m. on November 7, 2007 in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. The group is being
recognized for their cooperative conservation effort in the peninsula
formed by Orleans and Plaquemines Parish on the westbank of New Orleans.
The Coastal America Partnership was established in 1992 to protect,
preserve and restore our coastal watersheds by integrating federal actions
with state, and local government and non-governmental efforts to address
specific problems such as wetlands loss. According to Director of Coastal
America, Virginia Tippie, " The Woodlands Trail and Park Project Team is a
striking example of an opportunity that resulted from the identification
of critical habitat and community needs, the development of key
partnerships, proud environmental stewardship and community involvement
all of which resulted in a comprehensive and productive partnership to
enhanced our natural environment - a win-win across the board and an
example of true partnerships for others to emulate. It is in projects
such as this that cooperative conservation comes alive in the real world."
On Wednesday, November 7, 11 am at the Woodlands Trail and Park Trailhead
at 449 F. Edward Hebert Blvd. in Belle Chasse, the cooperative
conservation group and guests will gather for the prestigious award
ceremony. Organizations to be presented with awards from Virginia K.
Tippie, Director, Coastal America and, Robert A. DeHaan, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Transportation Policy are: Algiers Economic Development
Foundation, American Heritage Rivers Initiative - Army Corp of Engineers,
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Chevron, ConocoPhillips,
Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and
Forestry, Mayor's Office of Environmental Affairs, Mississippi River Trail
organization, Orleans Audubon Society, Our Lady of Holy Cross College,
Plaquemines Parish Government, Regional Planning Commission, University of
Louisiana Lafayette, Department of Renewable Resources, and Woodlands
Trail and Park. The Woodlands Restoration Team was nominated by Doug
Meffert, Deputy Director, Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental
Research.
The Woodlands Trail and Park project began as an ambitious grassroots
regional effort in 1997 to plan for smart growth while preserving,
protecting and celebrating the natural beauty and cultural treasures
within a 10,000-acre peninsula in the Metropolitan New Orleans area.
Currently recognized as one of three "Keystone" projects of the Lower
Mississippi American Heritage Rivers Initiative, Woodlands Trail and Park
is uniting the river communities of Orleans and Plaquemines Parish with a
series of educational, recreational and historical greenways in one of the
region's last stands of bottomland hardwoods. Preservation of low-lying
open space preserves a "natural sponge" that absorbs storm runoff and
protects inland areas. The newly created pedestrian trail system allows
for increased access to wetlands that provides an "environmental
classroom" to educate users of Louisiana's Coast and promote awareness of
the value of conserving, restoring, creating and enhancing wetlands in
Louisiana. Funds awarded by the Governor's office Recreational Trails
Program will be used to construct bridges that will connect over 6 miles
of trails and allow access to a grouping of World War II Ammunition
Magazines.
In a short period of time, the Woodlands group has assembled a remarkable
"gumbo" of cooperative conservation partnerships: 15 local, regional, and
national organizations, working with private citizens, non-profits,
corporations, universities, and governmental entities as a coalition to
discover and celebrate the natural and cultural history of the area.
According to Bess Gillelan, Interagency Task Force on American Heritage
Rivers, "The achievements of the Woodlands Trail and Park project in the
wake of Hurricane Katrina are particularly notable. The team has continued
to accomplish its mission in an area that sustained significant damage,
and in some cases outright destruction, to recreational and environmental
educational features."
Woodlands Trail and Park has received increased recognition during the
past year beginning with its recognition as the Conservation Organization
of the Year by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and the National Wildlife
Federation. This prestigious award was followed shortly thereafter by the
Coastal Stewardship Award from the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.
The Coastal America Partnership Ceremony is open to the public. To
attend, RSVP at woodlandstrail@aol.com or call 504.433.4000. Woodlands
Trail and Park is a "work in progress". Wear appropriate shoes.
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