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Friends of Jefferson the Beautiful and the Keep Jefferson Beautiful Board are sponsoring a free workshop titled “Managing Stormwater in Functional Landscapes” at the East Bank Regional Library on W. Napoleon in Metairie tomorrow featuring Dana Nunez Brown This workshop is a great opportunity to learn from one of the state’s leaders in landscape design, water management, native plants and how to make your yard, lot, home or business an integral part of the watershed. This is a free event but you need to RSVP via phone: 504-833-8733. Don’t miss it!
Kudos to Dr. Bob Thomas of the Loyola University Center for Environmental Communications, and Kevin McCaffery of ePrime Media for their excellent work on the documentary MRGO ing, Going, Gone? now airing on public television. This documentary tells the story of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, a massive and poorly planned canal dug to shorten shipping routes and bypass the 70 miles of river between New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. The canal rapidly accelerated salt water intrusion, causing massive loss of protective wetlands, cypress forests, and landmass. The role of MRGO in exacerbating hurricane impacts is chronicled, as are the historical perspectives of its development and the impacts from the nearly five decades of its existence. The documentary is a must-see for anyone seeking to better understand the dynamics of land and water in Louisiana, and it serves as a lesson for all who seek to use massive engineering projects that alter natural systems in the quest for economic benefit, for Nature always bats last.
MRGO ing, Going, Gone? is currently airing on public television, and is also available directly from the producers via http://shop.eprimemedia.com/wp/mrgo-ing-going-gone/
Here's a link to the official press release.
Coastal Resilience 2.0 is a suite of tools that enables decision-makers to assess risk and identify nature-based solutions to reduce socio-economic vulnerability to coastal hazards. These tools, available at www.maps.coastalresilience.org, allow you to interactively examine storm surge, sea level rise, natural resources, vulnerable communities, and assets, to develop risk reduction and restoration solutions. These tools are just one part of a wider array of resources available at www.coastalresilience.org.
To learn more about the tool and coastal resilience efforts, The Nature Conservancy and partners are hosting a webinar on October 24, at 11 CT/12ET. The registration link is https://nethope.webex.com/nethope/k2/j.php?ED=193155962&UID=0&HMAC=f4fd45f87996c2d44c0bf40c9970736285f874b0&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D.
(Once you register you will get call in information).
Not to be missed!
• Parks and Greenways
• Bike Infrastructure
• Art for Revitalization
• Financing
• Water Management
• Neighborhoods
• Preservation
• Transit and Housing
• Coastal Communities
• Communications
• Green Building
• Rural Communities
• Economic Development
More info: http://summit.cpex.org
Second Annual Anba Dlo Water Symposium
October 19th 12:00pm – 4:00pm
New Orleans Healing Center
Anba Dlo (pronounced “Ahnbah Dlo”) is Haitian Kreyol for “beneath the waters”, acknowledging and honoring the importance of water in our lives. This year our theme is Levee, Levee, Levee, borrowed from a sacred Haitian Kreyol song meaning, “wake up!” As our panelists focus on the national and local relationships to the importance of water, especially that of the Mississippi River regarding our coastline, the exclamation Levee, Levee, Levee has never seemed so urgent. To ensure this dialogue is continued the Water Symposium will be recorded by NPR and aired in vignettes about the importance of the Louisiana coastline. Bruno Steiner will also be recording and air the discussion on his show Category Five: Wetlands Watch. Please join us to participate in this free and public discussion of what comes next for our coastline.
Moderator: Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Marshall
Panel One 12:00 - 1:50 pm: Got Water? How the Future Belongs to Those Who Have Water, or Who Can Get Their Hands on It
Speakers: Joe Evans, Mark Davis, David Waggoner, Robert Tannen & Don Blancher
Topic: Panel one will focus on the emerging competition for water among states as local fresh water supplies diminish. The need for large scale water shed rehabilitation efforts has become clear as a result of the decline of coastal Louisiana, the Everglades, the San Francisco Bay Delta, and other ecosystems. These efforts reframe the need for water and the public benefits at stake from water resource management. The threat of climate change and sea level rise add complexity and urgency to the water resource stewardship challenge; bringing West Coast scale water shortages to the East Coast, in addition to threatening the long-term viability of entire cities and regions.
Break 1:50 - 2:10pm Light lunch, first come first serve
Panel Two 2:10 - 4:00pm: Making Decisions about the Future of the Mississippi River: the coast, our economy and society
Speakers: Denise Reed, David Muth, Carlton Dufrechou, Steve Cochran, Kirk Rhinehart, John Ettinger & Karen Gautreaux
Topic: Panel two will discuss a path forward for our coastal system and address the consequences of redirecting the Mississippi River on the environment, economy and society. While the Mississippi River is one of our greatest economic assets it is also our primary tool for coastal sustainability. We will outline the options for coastal sustainability and their multiple effects over time. A panel of scientists and community leaders will discuss how similar decisions have been made in other cases, as well as what types of information and decision processes can be implemented in deciding the future of our coast.
For more information please e-mail Emily Gatehouse at ebgatehouse@gmail.com
Also check like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnbaDloFestival
Project to restore Bayou St. John shows new approach to water management in New Orleans | The Lens - http://www.impaq.me/l/3ZgplzAOtA
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Learn more at http://impaq.me
The Office of Community Development - Disaster Recovery Unit and the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio's Louisiana Resiliency Assistance Program (LRAP) is hosting a webinar and workshop focused on strengthening local assets and fostering entrepreneurship. This looks like a great opportunity to connect and expand upon efforts to use our challenges as opportunities as Louisiana increasingly recognizes its strengths and assets as globally significant drivers of the economy. Mark your calendars for December 6 and December 10 and we'll see you there!
