Louisiana’s coastal problems are dramatic and somewhat unique. Its land is not just degrading—it is literally vanishing. More than 1,900 square miles have slipped into the Gulf of Mexico since 1932—an area larger than the State of Delaware—and an additional 700 square miles could disappear by 2050 without aggressive action. Most scientists believe the problem is related to wetland losses caused by human activities as well as natural forces. When wetland plants disappear, there is nothing to hold the soil in place.

In the past, coastal restoration has been addressed sporadically in a piecemeal manner. That changed in 2001, when state and federal agencies, academics, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector began working together to address this national-scope issue. Restoration strategies presented in a 1998 report entitled Coast 2050: Toward a Sustainable Coastal Louisiana formed the basis for the broader-scaled LCA Study. 

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Restoration and Conservation, America’s Wetland campaign, IAP World Services, Inc., Louisiana State University, University of New Orleans, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, and numerous local governments and private entities.

One of the most important parts of the LCA Study was projecting conditions along the Louisiana coast over the next 50 years if no further restoration measures are completed. Scientists working as part of the LCA Land Change Study Group, including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, and Louisiana universities, developed new land loss projections. They also incorporated current and projected land loss data into the Louisiana Coastal Area Ecosystem Model, which establishes a process to evaluate proposed restoration projects.

The Louisiana Coastal Ecosystem Model uses advanced technology to help scientists, elected officials, and the public see areas where land is projected to disappear. In addition to geospatial data, it uses animated computer simulations to show where land will slowly erode and slip into the sea. By actually seeing land loss models and visualizations, the public is better able to see what is at stake, and scientists can target restoration projects. These visualizations offer a common language for communication across scienti. c disciplines, political af. liations, private interests, and the general public.