Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!

Summertime in coastal Louisiana

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Summer is here! While we often view the smothering and lingering heat as an annual burden, I challenge you to take a different perspective. Summer heat and rain are part of what makes Louisiana’s ecosystems so incredibly diverse and special. Without summer, our beautiful live oaks wouldn’t be so grand and vibrant, our coast wouldn’t be filled with birds, and we wouldn’t hear the hum of the cicadas fill the air at night.

Don’t get me wrong: summers in Louisiana can be brutal, but I encourage you to focus on the beautiful nature around us and remember that our toughest season is part of what makes Louisiana thrive.

This month we're featuring natural landbuilding at Neptune Pass and its lessons for coastal restoration, shorebird protection during 4th of July, helpful resources for hurricane preparedness, and more. This summer, let’s appreciate our unique natural environment and work together to protect and restore our coast for many summers to come.

Dennis Clutter
Community Engagement Coordinator
Pontchartrain Conservancy

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Restore the Mississippi River Delta staff walking on some of Louisiana's newest land

Trip Spotlight: Neptune Pass

At the end of May, several MRD employees visited the downriver community of Buras to witness real-time coastal restoration at Neptune Pass
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Emerging vegetation at Neptune Pass

Downstream of the pass, there are visible indicators of sediment accumulation like young grasses emerging just above the water level, anchored into mud that will soon breach the surface and become new land. As sediment accumulates, plant species become established, and within a few years, underwater mud and sandbars progress into a thriving marsh teeming with wildlife. We observed over thirty species of birds in the area, including several with active nests. Ryan and Michael pointed out several locations in and around Bay Denisse and Quarantine Bay that have seen dramatic increases in land gain and vegetation growth in just a few years.

Neptune Pass has been one of MRD’s highlight case studies in river dynamics and shows us how we can use manmade structures like sediment diversions to mimic the natural land-building process. In our trips there over the last few years, we’ve seen further and further land construction and marsh creation, all powered by the Mississippi River’s natural processes. If you have the opportunity to visit Buras, we highly recommend seeing Neptune Pass in person for an example of what we at MRD would like to see across our coast.

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Want to make your voice heard in support of protecting and restoring our beautiful coast?Add your name
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Show Your Support
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Two least tern chicks in a nest on Grand Isle / Erik Johnson, Audubon Delta

Call for Volunteers:
Audubon Delta Shorebird Projects

The smallest tern in the world, the least tern
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As the 4th of July quickly approaches, Audubon Delta
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[link removed] contact [email protected]
[email protected].

Volunteers are also welcome to join our Greater New Orleans Rooftop-nesting Program, which takes place each year from April through August. If you would like to learn more, or if you suspect you have found a rooftop nesting colony, please contact [email protected]
[email protected].

Register Here

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Dennis Clutter, Scot Pilié, and Kristi Trail at Pontchartrain Conservancy's Storm Aware & Prepare event June 1

Start of Hurricane Season

With a forecasted above-average hurricane season having officially started on June 1, it’s important to be hurricane aware and prepared. Here are some important tips as we begin this season courtesy of meteorologist Scot Pilié:
Create an Emergency Kit: Include water, non-perishable food, medications, batteries, and important documents.
Have a Family Plan: Know your evacuation routes and establish a communication plan.
Stay Informed: Monitor weather updates and alerts from reliable sources.
Secure Your Home: Check and reinforce your home’s structure, secure outdoor items, clear out storm drains, catch basins, and secure loose trash to help alleviate flooding.
Get to Know Your Neighbors: Build relationships with your community to support each other before, during, and after a hurricane.

For more detailed information and resources, visit:
Ready.gov
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National Hurricane Center
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FEMA Hurricane Preparedness
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Local meteorologists, the National Weather Service, and the National Hurricane Center for the latest updates.

The very active forecasted season is another sobering reminder as to why supporting coastal restoration and protection efforts is so crucial. If we restore and protect the coast, the coast can protect us.

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Save the Date: Hurricane Ready and Resilient

Sông Community Development Corporation will be hosting an in-person hurricane preparedness event from 11 AM – 1 PM on June 29th at the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church
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Job Opportunity: Policy Director, Louisiana Wildlife Federation

The Louisiana Wildlife Federation
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The Juneteenth flag
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This past Wednesday was Juneteenth, which celebrates the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally learned that they were free. This holiday has long been celebrated by Black Americans and was finally made a federal holiday in 2021. This article
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Juneteenth falls during Pride Month, which presents an opportunity to celebrate the intersection of Black and LGBTQ+ identities. This essay
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More resources below:

New Orleans has this Black-owned restaurant guide
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Check out the work of criminal justice reform organizations like End the Exception
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The LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana
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Organizations like House of Tulip
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Featured Recipe: Coconut Milk & Fresh Herbs Yellowfin Salad

With the weather getting warmer, I think it’s time to bust out some of the cold recipes! Our Coastal Community Cookbook
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Submit Your Recipe Here!
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