Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) earlier this week celebrated the start of Youth Wetlands Week, April 16-April 22, 2018.
To kick off the week, CPRA and LSU AgCenter 4-H Youth Wetlands Program (YWP) staff visited with Isidore Newman School students in New Orleans, Louisiana.
At the event, students participated in a hypothethical planning process for determining the end use of a marsh, to simulate the role of advocates and planners responsible for making decisions about the future of Louisiana’s coast.
“ The issue of coastal land loss is one that requires a steadfast commitment across generations. Our investment in the 4-H Youth Wetlands Program represents a significant investment in Louisiana’s next generation of coastal problem solvers, ” said Johnny Bradberry, Executive Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Activities.
“ CPRA’s $500,000 annual investment in the YWP is our agency’s largest outreach and engagement initiative – the program is free to any school in Louisiana to participate – teachers just need to reach out and enroll, ” added Michael Ellis, CPRA Executive Director . “ Through this program every educator can access ready to use resources for their students to learn about our coast.”
Since 2007, CPRA has sponsored the annual Youth Wetlands Program, accounting for a total investment of $6 million.
Designed to heighten students’ awareness of Louisiana’s wetland loss through an organized educational program of outreach, empowerment and advocacy, the program utilizes LSU AgCenter extension agents active in all 64 Louisiana parishes.
K-12 wetland curriculum and materials are created and distributed free of cost to teachers statewide and are aimed at improving students’ understanding of wetlands and the coastal land loss in Louisiana.