Funding approved for two wetland habitat restoration projects in coastal Louisiana

Two NOAA-sponsored habitat restoration projects in Louisiana have been approved for US$53.5 million in funding in 2022 by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Program.

Together, these projects will restore approximately 1,100 acres (445 hectares) of wetland habitat, which will in turn help support resilient coastal communities and sustainable fisheries along the Louisiana coast.

The NOAA said Louisiana has one of the highest rates of wetland loss in the world, at an average rate of 57,600 square feet (5,351 square metres), or about the size of a football field, every hour. Habitat restoration will help slow the high rate of land loss while sustaining the important benefits these habitats provide.