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The Greater Lafourche Port Commission’s longtime standing as a proponent of protecting Louisiana’s coast has yielded it a Coastal Stewardship award at the 2014 Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana awards ceremony.
Restore or Retreat and the South Central Industrial Association nominated the GLPC for the honor.
“We were pleased to have been nominated … and honored to be recognized by CRCL as coastal stewards,” Chett Chiasson, the commission’s executive director, said.
The GLPC has a history of working at the federal, state and local level to champion coastal and environmental restoration projects in and around Port Fourchon. The port has served as the proving ground for many coastal science and restoration techniques, according to CRCL.
For example, the Maritime Forest Ridge and Marsh Restoration project was the first attempt at restoring elevated chenier forested ridge habitat from open water. Chiasson said with the help of many coastal and environmental partners, the ridge has been a learning minefield in plant propagation, construction techniques and planting and soil chemistry methods.
Large tracts of port land surrounding the Maritime Forest Ridge have been set aside, he said. Also, mitigation areas at Port Fourchon serve as a wildlife sanctuary. Fishing and hunting in those areas is prohibited to preserve it for future generations.
The Fourchon Beach Repair project is also heralded for using geotubes – large fabric tubes that are filled with sand – to create a stable base to restore the sand dunes damaged by storms and coastal erosion. The project provides essential birding habitats and vital storm surge protection to the port and beach.
A culmination of public-private investment – more than $5 million from a several sources, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Shell Oil Co. and the GLPC – and cooperation with the landowners spurred the project.
“The GLPC’s longstanding commitment to coastal restoration not only helps our natural environment but also demonstrates to business and industry the idea that restoration is integral to living, working and investing in coastal Louisiana,” said Simone Maloz, executive director of Restore or Retreat.
“We are very grateful that our port commissioners, our community and our tenants understand the value of the fragile wetlands surrounding the port,” Chiasson said. “They have supported us in going above and beyond our obligations for environmental mitigation on many occasions to help Port Fourchon grow substantially in a coastal environment.
Greater Lafourche Port Commission Executive Director Chett Chiasson (left) and GLP commissioner Chuckie Cheramie (center) accept a Coastal Steward award from Robert Gormn of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. The honor was presented at the 2014 Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana awards ceremony. Restore or Retreat and the South Central Industrial Association nominated the port for the honor.
