Stewardship: Fourchon

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The Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) was recognized for its efforts on behalf of Louisiana’s coastal lands with the presentation of a Coastal Stewardship Award presentation by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) on May 9.

Greater Lafourche Port Commission Recognized As Coastal Steward

The Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) was recognized for its efforts on behalf of Louisiana’s coastal lands with the presentation of a Coastal Stewardship Award presentation by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) on May 9.

Over the past several years GLPC has worked closely with federal, state and local partners to implement, enhance or champion for numerous coastal and environmental restoration projects in and around Port Fourchon. In some instances, restoration techniques were utilized for the first time on projects done by GLPC, making Port Fourchon an important proving ground for coastal science and restoration techniques.

The Maritime Forest Ridge and Marsh Restoration Project, for example, demonstrates how GLPC has fostered pioneering scientific and technical advances in coastal restoration science. The project represented the first attempt at restoring an elevated chenier forested ridge habitat from open water. With the help of coastal and environmental partners and donations from industry partners like Shell Oil, the port commission’s ridge has provided vital lessons in plant propagation for restoring these unique habitats, construction techniques, and planting and soil chemistry methodologies.

Another example of the port commission’s commitment to restoration is the Fourchon Beach Repair Project. This ongoing initiative utilizes geotubes – large fabric tubes filled with sand – to create a stable base for pumped sands to restore the sand dunes lost to hurricanes and coastal erosion. These restored dunes provide essential birding habitat and critical storm surge protection for Fourchon Beach and Port Fourchon. The beach project also highlights the port commission’s success in obtaining public-private partnership investment, with more than $5 million from multiple sources including FEMA, Shell Oil Company, and GLPC itself, as well as cooperation with landowners Edward Wisner Trust and Caillouet Land.

Te port commission has also set aside large tracts surrounding the Maritime Forest Ridge and mitigation areas as a wildlife sanctuary, prohibiting hunting and fishing in these pristine areas in order to preserve them for future generations.

"We are very grateful that our port commissioners, our community, and our tenants understand the value of the fragile wetlands surrounding the port," said GLPC Executive Director Chett Chiasson. "They have supported us in going above and beyond our obligations for environmental mitigation on many occasions to help Port Fourchon grow sustainably in a coastal environment."