Gulf Coast Post January 2024

JANUARY 2024

THE GULF COAST POST Dear Supporters/Community/Advocates, This edition of the Gulf Coast Post holds special significance as we mark the 36th birthday of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.

Three and a half decades of unwavering dedication, tireless advocacy and effective initiatives have shaped CRCL into the formidable force that it is today. Check out CRCL’s 2023 impact report to see how your support made a difference last year.

You can join us in commemorating our birthday, reflecting on our shared

accomplishments

and

fueling

our

enthusiasm

for

the

challenges that lie ahead. We present to you our 2024 birthday wish list, a curated list of items that will help us in our mission to unite people in action to achieve a thriving, sustainable Louisiana coast for all.

As we toast to new beginnings and set our sights on the horizon, it is only fitting to reflect on the importance of preserving and revitalizing the coastal habitats that define our unique region. Louisiana’s coast is not just a place; it's a dynamic, living entity that demands our collective attention, care and commitment.

Here's to a year of restoration and the continued growth of CRCL as we chart a course toward a sustainable future. Happy reading!

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana

Native Plants Program Senior Coordinator, Gardner Goodall next to a 12-year-old cypress tree planted by CRCL at Spanish Lake.

You can support CRCL when you run in the Crescent City Classic Put your running shoes to good use this March! Sign up for the Crescent City Classic today and select the “Run for It” option when registering. You can then select Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) as your official charity and fundraise on our behalf. At the race, you’ll have access to our tent in the charity village, where you’ll receive special CRCL gifts and other fun perks.

Sign up today!

Nominate a coastal hero today!

Deadline for nominations: Feb. 16, 2024.

Numerous heroes have emerged in the battle to safeguard Louisiana's coast, including elected officials, organizational leaders, scientists, community organizers and dedicated volunteers. We invite your support in recognizing and honoring these champions at our upcoming annual CRCL Coastal Stewardship Awards event, scheduled to take place in Baton Rouge in May. With the deadline quickly approaching, please consider making a nomination soon. Your participation ensures that the dedication and contributions of coastal champions are recognized. We are also still seeking sponsors.

Future Coastal Leaders update In 2023, CRCL engaged 81 high school and college students from 26 different institutions across south Louisiana. Check out the 2023 FCL year book.

The Future Coastal Leaders program will kick off the spring semester Feb. 7.

Applications are open. This initiative is designed for young people eager to expand their knowledge of coastal Louisiana. Participants in this program gain valuable insights from a network of industry leaders, delving into various topics as related to coastal restoration and potential career pathways for the future.

Washington Mardi Gras Several members of our team traveled to Washington, D.C. this month to visit with staff of the Louisiana congressional delegation during Washington Mardi Gras. CRCL also was a sponsor of Louisiana Alive!, where we recycled oyster shell for the first time. Among the policy priorities we discussed on Capitol Hill were the state’s need to secure sustainable longterm sources of funding for coastal restoration. We also talked about how federal spending has supported restoration through the Central Wetlands Reforestation Collective and our Oyster Shell Recycling Program.

New clothes for the coast New clothes for the coast One fun way to support CRCL is with a new coastal-themed shirt or hoodie. Discover a range of fresh designs exclusively showcased on our Bonfire platform. Not only do these designs make fantastic gift choices, but they also contribute to CRCL's programs. Elevate your giving with style, as each purchase becomes a dual celebration – a unique, thoughtful gift and a meaningful step toward restoring our coastal ecosystems.

Make your voice heard We want you to participate actively in the state’s coastal restoration process. The state agency responsible for the coastal program, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, is accepting public comments on the draft fiscal 2025 Annual Plan until Feb. 18. We encourage you to read the draft plan, which is available on the CPRA website.

We encourage you to make specific comments on the plan, but you can also make general comments stating your support for coastal restoration and how it must be a top priority for our state government.

Christmas tree recycling We are accepting Christmas trees for recycling at our Restoration Headquarters on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Trees can also be dropped off at other New Orleans locations including Common Ground Relief, Glass Half Full and (naturally) at Snake and Jake’s Christmas Club Lounge.

Natural, unflocked trees only. These trees will be put into the water at Bayou Pointe-auChien, and we’ll be planting grasses with volunteers in an adjacent spot. You can learn more about the why and how of Christmas tree recycling in Louisiana in this WWL-TV interview with Gardner Goodall, our Native Plants Program coordinator.

Central Wetlands Reforestation Collective planting CWRC plantings are in full swing, and we hope to see you out in the Central Wetlands very soon. These plantings are hosted by a group of organizations that are re-establishing a bald cypress and water tupelo bottomland hardwood forest near New Orleans. The partners in the collective are: CRCL, Common Ground Relief, CSED of the Lower 9th Ward, Arlene & Joseph Meraux Foundation and Pontchartrain Conservancy. To learn more about the partners and upcoming plantings visit centralwetlands.org

Cypress seed drive summary CRCL's Native Plants Program has completed its cypress seed drive, and we want to thanks to everyone who contributed! We collected bald cypress seeds from all over the state, and even got some seed donations from Fort Worth, Texas! Seeds were collected in five coastal parishes. No official count was kept, but thousands of seeds were collected to be grown out. We are cold stratifying these seeds now, storing them in containers of water in a refrigerator. This spring, with the help of volunteers, CRCL will plant these seeds in raised beds at our Restoration Headquarters in Violet to be grown for two years before being planted in the field. Stay tuned for information on upcoming native seed drives!

Oyster shell recycling tax credit program updates Last year, CRCL supported legislation that established a tax credit for Louisiana restaurants that recycle their oyster shell for beneficial use. The credit will allow a reduction in restaurants’ state tax liability of $1 per 50 pounds of shell recycled, not to exceed $2,000 annually. The oyster shell recycling tax credit went into effect this month. We’ll be sharing updated guidance on how to participate when the Department of Revenue and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries release more information. Keep an eye out on our social media in the coming weeks. We will keep this page updated as information becomes available.

Join us for Shell-A-Bration Speaking of oysters, we’ll be Shell-A-Brating the Oyster Shell Recycling Program on March 22. Join us for a night of live music from Louis Michot, fresh oysters, delicious food, door prizes, silent auction and more in the Cajun Ballroom at the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit at the Audubon Zoo. Register now to lock in your early bird rates!

Support CRCL’s OSRP restaurant partners With the success of our most recent big oyster reef build, we need your help replenishing our shell pile! Supporting CRCL's oyster shell recycling restaurant partners is about more than just enjoying a delicious meal; it's a direct path to safeguarding Louisiana's coastal ecosystem.

By choosing to dine at these establishments, you're contributing to the restoration and preservation of our coast. Oyster shells, often discarded as waste, hold incredible restorative power. When shells are returned to waterways, they provide habitat for new oyster growth and help slow coastal erosion. They also minimize storm surge during hurricanes and tropical storms.

Your support not only sustains these restaurants but also reinforces a cycle of sustainability in which the shells that once cradled your delectable oysters return to the coast, nurturing new life and strengthening our shoreline.

So savor the flavors and savor the future: Support CRCL's oyster shell recycling partners and be a part of something extraordinary. Your taste buds will thank you, and so will our coastline.

Once you shuck ‘em, don’t just chuck ‘em! Visit our public shell recycling drop-off locations to recycle your oyster shells!

Want to get involved? Join an upcoming oyster shell recycling event!

Cook-off for the Coast Restore the Mississippi River Delta is hosting another Cook-off for the Coast! Join us on Feb. 24 at Docville Farm, at 5124 E. Saint Bernard Hwy in Violet. The gates swing open at 11 a.m. The cookoff will host dozens of local chefs, and food samples will be distributed on a firstcome, first-serve basis.

Established in 2017 in St. Bernard Parish, Cook-off for the Coast is a family-friendly event aimed at fostering awareness around Louisiana's land loss crisis and the pressing need for coastal restoration. This is a FREE event. The proceeds generated from merchandise sales and donations go toward supporting local coastal restoration projects.

Welcome Maya and Jordan We welcomed new members to Team CRCL in recent weeks. They are Jordan Phillips, our outreach coordinator; Maya Klapper, our development coordinator.

Jordan grew up in Baton Rouge and moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane, graduating in 2019 with a dual degree in economics and theater. Maya, who grew up in Los Angeles and moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University, graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater and environmental studies in 2020.

We’re hiring The Advocacy Director will engage with local, state and federal partners to advance coastal restoration. The Advocacy Director will report directly to the Executive Director and will operate as a senior strategic leader in the pursuit of CRCL’s mission. They will work closely with coalition partners at Restore the Mississippi River Delta on a coordinated effort to advance large-scale ecosystem restoration. This is a tremendous opportunity for the successful candidate to join a wellrespected, high-impact organization working to restore a globally significant ecosystem. Apply today or simply help us share this opportunity!

CRCLectures We hosted another lecture in November, which you can watch on our YouTube channel here. Ian McNulty joined attendees at CRCL’s office to talk about New Orleans, restaurants and what’s ahead. We have more CRCLectures in store for 2024. Join our mailing list and follow us on social media @crcl1988 to join the conversation!

CRCL in the News Here are some of CRCL’s recent media highlights: What you need to know about Christmas tree recycling in your parish Christmas Wreaths to Be Used for Coastal Restoration Project New effort aims to plant 63,000 trees to restore hurricane buffer

UPCOMING VOLUNTEER EVENTS January 31: Native Plant Nursery Care Day @ CRCL Restoration HQ March 1 & 2: Cypress Tree Planting @ CRCL Restoration HQ March 2: Oyster Shell Recycling @ CRCL Restoration HQ March 6: Cypress Tree Planting @ CRCL Restoration HQ March 8: Native Plant Nursery Care Day & Cypress Tree Planting @ CRCL Restoration HQ March 13: Cypress Tree Planting @ CRCL Restoration HQ March 15 & 16: Cypress Tree Planting @ CRCL Restoration HQ March 20: Cypress Tree Planting @ CRCL Restoration HQ April 4-6: Tree Planting @ New Isle, Terrebonne Parish April 12 & 13: Cypress Tree Planting @ CRCL Restoration HQ

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