Value of Louisiana's Coastal Barrier Islands and Wetland Systems

It is estimated that every 1 km (0.6 mi) of barrier island shoreline protects 30 km² (12 mi²) of wetland-estuarine habitat. The islands that fringe the coastal wetlands can limit the height of hurricane storm surges, reduce wave energy, reduce the potential for erosion of landward wetlands, and retard saltwater intrusion. The continued degradation of these islands, however, has diminished their ability to protect the wetlands, bays, and estuaries that support Louisiana's coastal fisheries.

Coastal wetlands offer an important buffer from flooding and salinity intrusion associated with the hurricane's storm surge. However, Louisiana's coastal wetlands are also at risk. The current rate of wetland loss in Louisiana averages some 65.6 km² (25 mi²) each year. Since the 1930s, an estimated 3,950 km² (1,525 mi²) of coastal wetlands and barrier islands have been lost. Subsidence, human impacts, and erosion caused by storms have all been implicated in these high rates of loss. A hurricane such as Hurricane Andrew can result in a year's worth of loss in a single day.

Besides offering great protection to cities and upland areas, Louisiana's coastal and forested wetlands also have an important impact on the state's economy. The state's coastal ecosystems provide the natural resources for a $1-billion-per-year fish and shellfish industry. The fisheries industry in southern Louisiana relies on coastal marshes for crucial nursery habitat. A powerful hurricane damages the livelihoods of people who rely on fisheries. After Hurricane Andrew, for example, $15 million was granted to the gulf commercial fishing industry to help recover from those losses. Farther inland, forested wetlands provide crucial habitat for wildlife and a renewable resource for the timber and paper industries. The Atchafalaya Basin holds the largest single parcel of forested wetland left in the United States, about 1.5 million acres.

< Previous Page | Next Page >