ORA Estuaries

Proud to represent eRotaryCoastal.org at this great AWF project unveiling.

From Natalie Peyronnin: "Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan consistently looks toward the past, when the Mississippi River flowed naturally, for ideas on how to restore the delta. Reconnecting the river to adjacent basins through sediment diversions – keystone restoration projects of the plan – will provide some benefits today, but also have long-term benefits that will be seen in future generations.

Oyster reef restoration can be carried out with the same long-term vision. Louisiana’s coastal waters have historically been the site of vast offshore oyster reefs, which played a vital role in the overall health and sustainability of Louisiana’s coastline – but planning efforts have consistently undervalued the benefits of oyster reef restoration. "

Oyster Reefs of the Past Hold Lessons for Future Coastal Restoration We call on planners, scientists and engineers in Louisiana, and beyond, to explore and research how investing in oyster reef restoration today can be a return on investment for future generations and help to establish a sustainable coast.

According to the authors: "The global costs of protecting the coast with dikes are significant with annual investment and maintenance costs of US$ 12–71 billion in 2100, but much smaller than the global cost of avoided damages even without accounting for indirect costs of damage to regional production supply."

If the benefit to cost calculation works for levees, imagine what we can do with natural infrastructure such as expansive living reefs.

Coastal flood damage and adaptation costs under 21st century sea-level rise National Academy of Sciences