As the new dean of LSU’s School of the Coast and
Environment (SC&E), I have been asked on several occasions
to reflect on my reasons for coming to LSU and on the prospects
for the SC&E. Explaining why I chose to come to LSU
is straightforward. There are basically two reasons. One
is the caliber of the administration. The people I have
met, in particular William
Jenkins and Risa
Palm, are truly visionary leaders with a strong commitment
to the Flagship Agenda. It is a pleasure to be working at
a university run by such leaders. The second is the strength
of the faculty in the SC&E. This school is on a trajectory
to become the world leader in the study of coastal oceanographic
processes in deltaic ecosystems. The questions and problems
our faculty and students will be addressing in the next
few years are of utmost importance to the economy and culture
of Louisiana. Equally important is the realization that
strategies we develop for managing our coastal resources
in a sustainable manner can provide a model for the intelligent
stewardship of similar resources throughout the world.
It is important to realize that much is at stake. Within
Louisiana’s coastal zone are found 25 percent of the
nation’s coastal wetlands and 40 percent of all salt
marshes in the contiguous 48 states. Approximately 17 percent
of the nation’s oil and 25 percent of its natural
gas come from Gulf of Mexico coastal waters. The ports of
New Orleans, South Louisiana, Baton Rouge, and Lake Charles
together handle more than 20 percent of the nation’s
foreign waterborne commerce, and Louisiana operates the
only super port (the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port) in the
contiguous 48 states. Louisiana ranks first among all states
in the commercial harvest of menhaden, oysters, and crabs
and is a major producer of shrimp. Overall, Louisiana’s
commercial fisheries account for about 30 percent of the
nation’s total fish catch. Coastal wetlands are an
important buffer against the damage that would otherwise
be caused by hurricanes. In the absence of these wetlands,
artificial barriers to flooding and storm surges would be
devastated by direct exposure to hurricane-generated wind
and waves. The very survival of New Orleans is as much linked
to wetlands and barrier islands as to levees and pumping
stations.
Unfortunately this enormously valuable natural resource
has been disappearing at an accelerating rate. Since the
1930s more than one million acres have been lost, an area
greater than the state of Rhode Island. Each year another
25–35 square miles disappear. Why is this happening?
For the most part the answer can be traced to engineering
projects intended to modify the natural hydrology of the
region in a way that many people thought would best serve
the interests of mankind. Channels were dredged and levees
erected to facilitate navigation and prevent flooding. While
these projects achieved short-term goals, their long-term
impacts were not anticipated.
Do we know how to manage our coastal resources in a sustainable
manner? The answer is yes and no. We can identify most of
the problems, at least in general terms. The details of
how to solve those problems remain to some extent elusive.
That is where the SC&E comes in. We have within our
school some of the critical scientific expertise needed
to provide answers. The problems are multi-faceted and by
no means confined to the realm of the natural sciences.
Social and political issues cannot be overlooked. Solutions
will require the collaboration of federal and state agencies
and a constructive dialogue among scientists from a broad
range of disciplines and institutions. I expect that the
SC&E will provide much of the needed scientific expertise,
and I look forward to working with our faculty and students
to help solve these challenging and important problems.
