Planning for a nature-based solutions approach to the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe’s climate change adaptation efforts
Implementing Organization
Louisiana State University
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$99,999
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine – Gulf Research Program (NASEM - GRP)
Funding Program
NASEM Gulf Research Program Grants
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Environmental Research
Targeted Resources
Project Description
The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Community is one of oldest inhabited communities in the United States and is a historical Chitimacha community. The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe (“PACIT” or “Tribe”) territory is in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes in South Louisiana and includes diverse resources, including birds, plants, animals, fish, cemeteries, sacred sites, and village sites. Historically, Tribal members were fishermen, hunters, and farmers. While Pointe-au-Chien continues to be a fishing community, climate-related hazards threaten its continued existence and ability to thrive. Adaptation measures taken by Tribal members have not been sufficient to withstand increased tropical storm impacts because of the loss of much of their traditional lands to open water, exposing the community to greater storm surge and more frequent flooding. Following Hurricane Ida’s devastating impacts in August 2021, the Tribe is developing a comprehensive community-based strategy to become more resilient to future storms. Living shorelines are a nature-based solution (NBS) option that can support the PACIT in achieving critical aspects of its vision to rebuild in a more sustainable way. This project presents an opportunity to consider a ‘network of living shorelines’ concept as a key strategy in protecting the community from future storm impacts while also providing ecosystem-based co-benefits. The overall goal is to leverage the climate hazard-reducing potential of NBS in a way that also honors the cultural heritage and priorities of the PACIT community, and through this process inform the design and implementation of similar measures in other coastal communities most at-risk.
Contact
Matthew BethelNone
mbethe3@lsu.edu
Project Website
None
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