COAST 2050: A Partnership
State - Federal - Local

BACKGROUND

Louisiana's coastal land loss problem continues at a rate of more than 30 square miles per year.

Several major plans have been developed to address coastal land loss but most of these only consider the marshes and barrier islands - not the people who live and work there.

Major state and federal restoration and conservation efforts are underway resulting in about $50 million being spent on coastal restoration each year.

These programs are able to address some of the problems but major efforts have been hampered by a lack of funds and the challenge of resolving conflicting coastal uses.

WHAT WILL COAST 2050 DO?

We have developed a strategic plan to protect and sustain the state's coastal resources for future generations. The development of the plan included:

Resolving conflicts between restoration goals and coastal zone development and infrastructure.

Formulating a plan that is agreeable to the public, scientifically sound, and implementable.

COAST 2050 GOAL

Develop, within 18 months, a technically sound strategic plan to sustain coastal resources and provide an integrated multiple use approach to ecosystem management.

Consensus Building diagram

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT?

Ecosystem management is an integrated approach to coastal restoration that tries to maximize the diversity and extent of coastal habitats, while minimizing impacts to coastal users. Coastal resources such as fisheries, wildlife, transportation, flood control, navigation, oil and gas, water supply, agriculture, forestry and many other social, economic and industrial activities must be considered.