PRCR attended Louisiana’s State of the Coast Convention on July 2, 2023. During the convention, we had the opportunity to learn of the various methods and practices that neighboring communities were using to prevent further erosion of the coastline. However, upon further investigation, we could not help to notice that our specific location along the coast was not represented in any of the conservation efforts. For example, according to a report entitled “An Evaluation of Survivability and Growth Rates of Bald Cypress Trees Planted for Coastal Restoration” by Andrew Ferris, we noticed that bald cypress trees have been planted at Fort Saint Phillip, Violet Canal, Central Wetlands Unit, and Lake Maurepas – North Pass.

Coincidentally, there were no trees planted in our immediate area, given we are located between Fort Saint Phillip and Violet Canal.This revelation emphasized the need for the community, both young and old, to stand as the vanguard for the conservation and restoration of our respective positions on Louisiana’s southern coastline. We are thankful for the participating organizations that were able to compile the data and share it at the State of the Coast Conference so that we can use it to better guide the success of our own bald cypress planting initiatives.