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Dear Reader,  

It may not feel like it quite yet, but fall has begun! After a long, hot summer, we’re excited to welcome cooler temperatures. September also means we’re inching closer to the end of hurricane season, which is always something to celebrate. 

This September is a busy one for coastal restoration! We’re still celebrating important project milestones like the groundbreaking of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion last month and are looking forward to taking steps forward with others, like the River Reintroduction into Maurepas Swamp. So, grab your favorite pumpkin-flavored snack as we dive into what’s happening this fall!

- Julia-Claire Evans
Communications Associate,
National Wildlife Federation

Coastal Candidate Workshops

The start of Louisiana’s election season is right around the corner! Are you running for office in Louisiana? MRD welcomes you to join these workshops to learn more about the issues facing our coast, the restoration projects completed and planned across the coast and projects specific to your region. Learn more and register for one of the sessions here. 

Partner Spotlight: CRCL

Looking for a coastal restoration volunteer opportunity? Join CRCL for their oyster shell reef deployments in Montegut, LA at the end of this month! Volunteers will assist in transporting bags of recycled oyster shells, taken from New Orleans-area restaurants to a reef built to protect one of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe’s historic mounds. You can sign up to volunteer at one of the deployments here. CRCL will also be hosting Restoration on the Half Shell, an interactive “mini conference” at Rougarou Festival in Houma October 21-22. ROTHS will feature two Coastal 101 presentations that introduce the audience to the coastal land loss crisis and restoration efforts as well as “Night of the Living Shoreline”; a panel consisting of partner organizations discussing their love for the Louisiana coast and how they’re contributing to its conservation.  

Upcoming Events

  • CRCL Future Coastal Leaders program: Throughout the fall, CRCL will host a series of meetings for high school and college students to learn more about coastal restoration and preservation. 
  • PC’s Storm Aware and Prepare: Join Pontchartrain Conservancy on September 23 for a community hurricane preparedness event at the New Canal Lighthouse. 
  • First Sunday of the Month at the LSU Center for River Studies: On October 1, you can tour the LSU Center for River Studies in Baton Rouge for free! Check out the river model and learn more about coastal restoration projects happening along the coast. 
  • New Orleans Neighborhood Summit On October 21, join community leaders and other local orgs to celebrate neighborhood history and diversity as well as a number of community workshops. 

The Cook-Off for the Coast returns to Docville Farm on February 24, 2024! Join us for another year of delicious free food and live music, with all proceeds benefiting coastal restoration projects. Keep up-to-date on the official Facebook page. 

Fall means... oysters! 

September ends in R... you know what that means! Looking for a way to incorporate your favorite Louisiana seafood into your kitchen? Look no further! Aaron’s Oystah Bake is an easy, filling recipe and one of our favorite ways to eat oysters.  
 

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities 

  • CRCL Fall Reef Deployment. Sign up here. 
    • Reef Deployment Dates:
      • September 22
      • September 23
      • September 29
  • PC Tree Plantings (ongoing). Sign up here.