14 DAY TRIAL // The area south of Houma, Louisiana, is currently at the center of a demonstration project that aims to protect existing land against eroding wave action, as well as building new land in shallow open waters.
Volunteers from America's WETLAND Foundation have planted 187 "floating islands" in what is considered to be "ground zero" for coastal land loss in America. The effectiveness of the islands will be monitored over the next year.
The federal government has rejected any request for support, telling Native Americans in the area that their land is outside the levee alignment under construction as part of the Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection Project.
The respective ‘’floating islands’ measure five-by-eight-foot, and are planted with 40-60 native plants. The volunteers anchored end-to-end for 1,500 feet next to remaining marshes on the thin strip of road that leads to Isle de Jean Charles, south of Houma.
The plants will set roots into the water bottoms, forming traps for land-building sediments. Several islands will be stacked away from shore to test their ability to build land in open water.
The floating islands create a man made ecosystem that mimics naturally occurring wetlands. They are made of 100% recycled plastic bottles which have been found to be safe for marine life, Coast Guard approved marine foam for buoyancy, held in place on a PVC pipe frame.
"This is a demonstration to see if these islands can be used to build land in shallow, open waters," said Nick Matherne, Director of Coastal Restoration and Preservation. "If successful, the area around the islands will strengthen and flourish, and this could serve as a model for sustainable land mass. The islands have already performed well protecting the South Lafourche levee."
Martin Ecosystems of Baton Rouge, the company that is installing the islands has had help of volunteers from Entergy, Shell, CCA, Brown and Caldwell, local 4-H club members, Bayou Faith Shared Community Organizing (BISCO), Bayou Grace Community Services, Pointe Aux Chene Elementary, Montegut Middle School, Future Leaders of America's Gulf (FLAG), Sassafras Louisiana and the local Native American tribes.