What can we do?

    People have many ideas how to control coastal erosion. The Federal Government is interested in the problem.  The Heinz Center study authorized by the Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) addresses the economic impact of coastal erosion to communities. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has been working with states to manage coastal wetlands since 1990 when the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act, also known as the Breaux Act, was passed. Almost 100,000 acres of coastal wetlands are being protected as habitats for plants and animals.

    States are also putting new laws to work regarding coastal erosion. Several Gulf Coast states are working together in the GEMS (Gulf Ecological Management Site) program. A GEM is a geographic area that has special ecological significance. The states are working together to preserve these natural resources. Some local communities have stricter rules about building on coastlines, while others are preventing any new building from happening at all. For tourist areas, beach replenishment has been an option, although it expensive and most newly sanded beaches erode away in five years. In St. Tammany Parish, where we live, the local government recycles Christmas trees to trap sediment which keeps the shoreline from eroding.

This is a picture of the fence made of Christmas trees that stops coastal erosion.

Can people accept the natural force of coastal erosion without trying to intervene?

Only time will tell. In the meantime, enjoy the beach while you can.

Just for fun!