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Aelebrate St. Patrick’s Day March 17 VOL. 92, No. 6 www.ldaf.state.la.us March 12, 2009 As the pelican flies By Carlin LeDoux In a dim and stuffy courtroom, on a blistery duration sufficient to support and under nor- to be in the range of a football field every 38- “Sportsman’s Paradise,” one can imagine summer afternoon, two lawyers squabble mal circumstances do support a prevalence 50 minutes. That’s a lot of coastline disap- that duck and goose hunters would create a back and forth. The heated debate stems of vegetation typically adapted for life in sat- pearing. large economic impact. In fact, expenditures from the fact that a local farmer has recently urated soil conditions.” Why are these mosquito infested, snake on waterfowl hunting in Louisiana is around decided to fill in and convert a low-lying To sum up, we can safely say an area that filled, mushy, muddy, and inhospitable $53 million. area on his property to a usable state for normally holds water, and where water lov- places so important to Louisiana? Aside from the importance to animals and croplands. A local environmental action ing plants are found, is most likely a wetland. The truth is, our wetlands serve an amazing recreationist, the Louisiana coastline is the group has disputed the action, claiming that Using this new definition and applying it to variety of purposes. breadbasket of the state. The wetlands are a the area has become a wetlands and serves as what we see in our surroundings, it quickly The coastal marshes of our state act as a vital industrial hub for the oil and natural gas a vital stopping place for migrating birds, becomes evident that Louisiana is home to natural buffering system against the tropical industry. and therefore should be protected. an abundance of wetlands habitat. storms and hurricanes which hurtle towards Louisiana is the second leading energy pro- During the proceedings a perplexing ques- Wetlands are a large part of the environ- our coastline from the Gulf of Mexico. ducing state, producing 22 percent of all tion is put forth by the judge, “What is the mental makeup of our state and a great asset Every 1 to 2.7 miles of vegetated wetland domestic oil and natural gas, and accounts definition of a wetland?” Neither party is to our economy. Many issues regarding the is capable of absorbing one foot of storm for 15 percent of the nation’s refining capac- prepared to answer such a question and the decline of this precious habitat have, over the surge. This amazing benefit is highlighted by ity. room falls silent. past several years, become prominent in the fact that nearly 50 percent of our state’s The Louisiana wetlands play a major role After a short while the lawyer representing many environmental and political circles. population lives in coastal parishes. in water purification by filtering pollutants the environmentalist group stands to his feet Even with all the positive publicity, and Wetlands serve as a kind of super-store for coming from agricultural and residential and says, “The definition of a wetland is as numerous government agencies and environ- numerous species of animals. The wetlands runoff, industrial spills and drainage from follows. If a goose is flying overhead and can mental organizations putting forth a great contain all the necessary components to pro- parking lots that would pose serious threats look down upon the area in question and see amount of effort and resources into restora- vide a solid base for a diverse biosphere. to entire watersheds. his reflection on a specified number of days tion, the fact still remains Louisiana is losing Numerous species of waterfowl and migrato- Wetlands are so proficient in this function out of the year, then it is a wetland.” much of this habitat at an alarming rate. ry birds use coastal marshes either as a that in some places wetlands have been Obviously, this is not the real definition of Wetlands loss is taking place all over the stopover on their way to Central and South developed solely for the purpose of water a wetland. The official definition of a wet- U.S., the most notable is the loss of our America, or they become permanent fixtures purification, like the fenced in retention land, used by the Army Corps of Engineers is state’s coastline due to the effects of erosion. here in the winter months. ponds near major parking lots. “Areas that are inundated or saturated by sur- While it seems impossible to tell exactly In Louisiana, hunting is big business and This is why the rate of coastal erosion must face or ground water at a frequency and how much land is lost, most estimates seem since the state is affectionately known as the See Wetlands, continued on page 2 Page 2 MARKET BULLETIN March 12, 2009 Wetlands, continued from page 1 be drastically slowed. It is vital to ensure the plan through the United States Department Also, there are certain soil types, such as financial and technical assistance for restora- preservation of our natural habitat through- of Agriculture Natural Resources Sharkey or Moreland clays, which are nearly tion and enhancement of the property. out the state. Conservation Service or a private environ- always found within wetlands or converted Whether a landowner desires to protect an A massive undertaking, yes, and one in mental consultant. Some properties may fall wetland areas. Therefore if an area holds existing wetland area or restore an agricul- which the average person may become over- within the boundaries of one of the large- water permanently or periodically, and the tural area that was previously a wetland to its whelmed and feel they have no way of mak- scale federally sponsored restoration proj- soil indicates that it has historically done so, former state, the WRP is an option to con- ing a difference. ects. and is filled with water loving plants gener- sider. But there are ways for the average A common question that inland, or non- ally associated with a wetland, best bets are Other Farm Bill conservation programs Louisiana resident may participate in the tidal landowners might have is, “How do I that the area will qualify as a wetland. In administered by the NRCS that include inte- preservation of the state’s wetlands. determine what’s a wetland and what’s just a this case a landowner may be interested in rior wetland management practices are the The Americas Wetlands Conservation soggy, wet area?” On agricultural land the contacting their local NRCS office for infor- Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program Corps (AWCC) is one of numerous organiza- (WHIP), the Environmental Quality tions dedicated to the preservation of Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Louisiana’s wetlands. The AWCC engages Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). community volunteers to get involved and Each of these programs is voluntary and give back to the coast. includes separate eligibility requirements. The AWCC is an AmeriCorps program that It’s our responsibility to make sure that consists of 30 members who serve 11 months future generations of Louisiana residents can throughout the state, where they develop enjoy the unique features of our state. The restoration projects to help restore job is on today’s society. Louisiana’s wetlands and keep them flour- The next time you hear geese flying across ishing and beautiful. a clear autumn sky there is hope that they’ll AWCC conservation projects range in be able to see their reflection in wetlands nature from trash pick-ups, to tree and below. marsh-grass planting to wood duck nesting More information on the America’s box construction. Volunteers are always wel- Wetland Conservation Corps may be found come to join in any AWCC project and great- at www.lsuagcenter.com/awcc. Information ly appreciated. on other wetlands management programs One major issue that plagues conservation may be found at the Louisiana Department of efforts is the fact that approximately 78 per- Agriculture and Forestry cent of the wetlands in the United States are (www.ldaf.state.la.us), the Natural privately owned. USDA Natural Resources Conservation mation about eligibility conservation assis- Resources Conservation Service Most landowners are happy to help in Service makes the official delineation which tance for enrollment in the Wetlands (www.la.nrcs.usda.gov) and the Louisiana restoration efforts, but many don’t know is based on three criteria used to identify Reserve Program. Department of Natural Resources how to get involved. the characteristics of a wetland. For an area For interior wetland creation and enhance- (www.dnr.louisiana.gov). So what can a landowner do to help protect to be a wetland it must contain hydrophytic ment, landowners may apply for participa- Carlin LeDoux is a 17-year-old, America's and conserve the invaluable habitats that vegetation (the types of plants associated tion in the Wetlands Reserve Program WETLAND Conservation Corps member, may be located on their property? with wetlands), it must have hydric soil, and (WRP), one of a suite of Farm Bill conserva- currently serving as an intern in the There are a few different methods, but it must have wetland hydrology, meaning it tion programs. Offered by the Natural Beauregard Parish LSU AgCenter office. An depending on the wetland location (coastal must be continuously saturated to the sur- Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), avid hunter and trapper, Carlin understands or interior), one could choose different face for 5% or more of the growing season in the WRP is a voluntary program that offers a the importance of conserving our natural avenues.

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