AUGUST
Summer is heating up, as is our work at the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) and in coastal restoration in general. More than 100 priority projects are in motion This progress is made possible by everyone who is working support the restoration of our coast icluding you. With more projects active than ever before, there is reason to celebrate. But there is plenty of work that lies ahead. Thank you for every letter signed, meeting joined and event attended Let's keep it up. If boots on the ground restoration work is more your cup of tea, we have a number of projects on the horizon, starting with the deployment of an oyster reef at Pointe au Chien on September 23 and 24. On the Native Plants Program (NPP) front, we also have grass and tree plantings planned throughout the rest of the year. Join our volunteer mailing list to stay updated when events open for registration. Also, check out our brand new website at crcl org 2022 GULF COAST POST
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Check out our job postings for a communications coordinator and community outreach coordinator. View open positions here.
Wearehiring
We are expanding our operations at our oyster shell site in St. Bernard Parish, and with the changes is a new name: CRCL's Restoration Headquarters. The spot in Violet was originally used exclusively for oyster shell recycling, but now it will encompass all CRCL coastal restoration efforts. Thousands of native plants will begin life there before being planted along the coast by our amazing volunteers. Cypress saplings have already begun to take root! So far, in 2022, we have planted 5,000 native grass plugs and 1,540 native trees through our Native Plants Program, restoring 13.03 acres of Louisiana wetlands with 267 volunteers. Plus, a lagniappe 17,000 pounds of recycled glass sand was deployed in partnership with Glass Half Full to restore a blowout caused by Hurricane Ida. On this project, we also partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Services at Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. On the Oyster Shell Recycling Program (OSRP) side, we have hosted nine oyster shell bagging events (bagging more than 30 tons of shell) and two reef deployment events to refortify and extend the Plaquemines community oyster reef The Oyster Shell Recycling Program is also expanding, with new restaurants, new promotional materials and new pick up hours. You can read all about these OSRP updates, and more, in the OSRP Quarterly Report. Want to get involved? We are always looking to add more New Orleans restaurants to our shell recycling pick up route. Here's an anecdote from one of our partners, Clesi’s, about their experience: “The oyster shells (in the regular trash) were adding an additional "6 can" pick up 3 times a week = an additional $125/month. In addition, their weight was wreaking havoc on tearing in our trash bags, and they were very heavy for our staff to manipulate from the cans to the dumpsters. I can't tell you how many times the oyster shells were ripping the garbage bags and we had to double them up, adding even more to cost concerns.” Do you know a restaurant that may be interested in recycling their oyster shells to build living shorelines? Email oysters@crcl.org In addition to our restaurant partnerships, The CRCL has expanded the OSRP to the New Orleans community through two public drop off sites. Our generous partners at Glass Half Full and The Green Project have updated their hours to all normal hours of operation: 3935 Louisa Street New Orleans, LA Drop off hours: Mondays 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 2831 Marais Street New Orleans, LA Drop off hours: Wednesday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Restorationprogramupdates
On June 25, CRCL hosted our annual coastal education event, Restoration on the Half Shell (ROTHS), at Docville Farm in St Bernard This event was a fun, interactive way to learn about coastal restoration Also included was a tabling session featuring several community partners, raffle items, music from Michot's Melody Makers, food and tours of our Restoration Headquarters
Dozens of coastal residents visited our Restoration HQ and were in awe of the mountain of oyster RestorationontheHalfShell
We will host our biggest State of the Coast Conference yet in 2023. Save the dates for May 31 to June 2. State of the Coast is the largest sconference of its kind, providing an interdisciplinary forum to exchange timely and relevant information on the dynamic conditions of Louisiana’s coastal communities, environment, and economy. The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) produces this forum, the need for which grows with every acre of land lost to the Gulf of Mexico, along with several partners. After a virtual conference in 2021, SOC2023 will be in person at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Join our mailing list to be notified when registration opens
Togetheragain
Tyler is a native of Baton Rouge and a graduate of the Southern University Law Center For the past three years, he served as the lead staffer for the Louisiana House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, specializing in natural resources law with a focus on energy and coastal issues He has drafted legislation pertaining to the CPRA Annual Plan, oyster shell recycling, management of the coastal zone, coastal zone permitting, offshore wind energy production and the disposition of funds generation from Outer Continental Shelf alternative energy production, and many other bills that have served to enhance coastal Louisiana. In his free time, Tyler enjoys spending weekends with his wife and two children at his family’s camp in Chauvin. Donna comes to us from Kingsley House, where she was Chief Development Officer as well as the Director of Strategic Giving for the Kingsley Foundation. She directed the organizations’ development and communications efforts, including the execution of fundraising strategies for individual donors, corporate and foundation supporters, and special events. Prior to this role she served as Director of Development of the American Diabetes Association Gulf Coast office and Director of Marketing for Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans. Donna received a bachelor of arts degree from Loyola University in communications and psychology She is a member of Women United and the Association of Fundraising Professionals Donna lives in Metairie with her husband, David, and two adult children She enjoys gardening, reading and traveling Callingallhighschoolandcollege students-joinusforafieldtrip
The CRCL has welcomed two new members to the team: Tyler Bosworth, Advocacy Director; and Donna Betzer, Director of Development.
Newteammembers
Join CRCL on Sept 10 for a hands on coastal restoration tour down the Mississippi River We will travel from New Orleans, through St Bernard, and down to the border of Plaquemines Parish This guided bus tour will include several stops to learn about restoration projects and priorities, featuring a stop at CRCL's Restoration Headquarters, where you can experience how we engage volunteers and even help in constructing our restoration projects. While on the bus and at other stops, you will hear from a variety of speakers and learn about the plans, projects and players that are working to shape a better coast. We will visit a degraded historic cypress swamp in lower New Orleans, an educational center supported by the local Meraux Foundation in St. Bernard and the site of a river diversion on the border of Plaquemines where cypress re forestation is alive and growing! Offered at no cost to high school and college students with bus pick up and drop off in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. This is a full day field trip (approx. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) with lunch, refreshments and snacks provided; plus a special gift for those in attendance! *Exact pick up locations and times will be provided upon registration. Register here!
RAEsummit Withyourhelp,
We recently shared our end of fiscal year fundraising appeal, in support of our restoration programs. We have big plans for the future: We are currently training the next generation of coastal leaders through our youth education programs and we are putting boots on the ground across the coast to ensure a brighter future for all Louisianians. Please consider supporting our work. We have corporate sponsorships and individual membership options available. Donate here.
Can’t wait until State of the Coast? The Restore America's Estuaries Summit will take place from December 4 to 8, 2022. In its 11th year, the summit will bring together the coastal restoration and management communities to explore issues, solutions and lessons learned in their work The summit program will address all aspects of coastal and estuarine restoration and management, including the Great Lakes and international locales Ensuring these resources, and the communities that rely on them, are resilient now and into the future will be a particular focus. Early bird registration is happening until October 7, with student discounts available. we'reinitforthe longhaul
There’s no denying that
HelpCRCLkeeptruckin’ restoring Louisiana’s coast is hard work Our volunteers, partners and staff put a lot of effort into save our state for future generations We’re hard on our tools, too, from sleds used in planting events and shovels for scooping shell to hauling our trusty old trailer filled with tents and tables and chairs and other stuff we need for volunteer events.
One thing we don’t have is a truck, but we sure could use one. We are frequently waiting at a car rental place to pick one up if one is even available but it’s become increasingly apparent that that’s just not an efficient use of our time. So we’d like your help crowdsourcing one. We know there are people and businesses interested in helping to make our work happen and that may consider making a donation, so help us spread the word. We need a lightly used or new work truck. Ideally, the truck would have a Rhino lined long bed and extended cab, with four doors, and four wheel drive. It must have towing capacity. The truck would be used for pulling a 12’ x 6’ x 7’ cargo trailer, typically loading with project and volunteer equipment (tools, tables, etc) Occasionally we haul trees, bagged oyster shell, tools, trash, etc in the truck bed Trucks are typically driven on roads (private and public, paved and unpaved), and occasionally on beaches For more information or if you can help, email coalition@crcl org
9.2.22 Oyster Shell Bagging Volunteer Event 9 9 22 Oyster Shell Bagging Volunteer Event 9.10.22 Coastal Restoration Field Trip & Bagging 9.23.22 Pointe au Chien Community Oyster Reef 9 24 22 Pointe au Chien Community Oyster Reef TFACEBOOKIWITTER NSTAGRAM UPCOMING EVENTS CRCL.ORG
