St. Mary will hear about possible estuary research reserve
Virtual town hall meetings are scheduled next month to provide information on the Atchafalaya River Basin as a possible site for a designated estuary research site. Backers say such a designation would have a positive impact on St. Mary tourism and education.
The Louisiana National Estuary Research Reserve Site Development Committee says each session will include an overview of the NERR system from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an introduction to the LaNERR process from LSU professor Robert Twilley, a region-specific presentation on the proposed site, and a public Q&A session.
The meetings on the Atchafalaya Basin are set for 6-8 p.m. Sept. 8, noon-2 p.m. Sept. 14 and 6-8 p.m. Sept. 16. Online meeting information links will be posted on this story at StMaryNow.com. Other meetings are scheduled to talk about the Pontchartrain and Barataria basins.
Louisiana launched its search for a site to serve as a NERR in December 2020. The NERR system is a NOAA program operated in partnership with coastal and Great Lake states for long-term research, education and restoration.
The reserves are designated areas on public or private property or some combination. They serve as research sites for scientists studying estuaries, the geological zones and ecosystems where rivers and salt water come together.
The designation would require no land use rules beyond those already administered by the states, according to information from NOAA.
Local supporters, chief among them the St. Mary Excel citizens group, say a reserve designation could also mean a visitors center, federal funding, curated tourism opportunities and field trip opportunities for K-12 students. St. Mary Excel has gathered support from local governments for a St. Mary reserve.
Louisiana is the only coastal state between New England and Texas without such a reserve. In July 2019, Gov. John Bel Edwards sent a letter of interest to NOAA announcing Louisiana’s intent to host a NERR and identified Louisiana Sea Grant as the agency to lead the search. In December 2019, NOAA accepted the request.
Estuaries from Calcasieu to the mouth of the Mississippi and Barataria, including the Atchafalaya, have been identified as potential sites.
The current system is composed of 29 designated estuaries representative of the distinct estuary types found across the nation. With a NERR partnership, NOAA provides funding and national guidance while the lead state agency manages the site on a day-to-day basis with input from local partners.
Sept. 8 meeting online registration.
Sept. 14 online meeting registration
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