Along with the many benefits that come with a coastal environment—vibrant wildlife, fresh seafood and accessible waterways—there are distinct challenges that emerge in coastal settings including land loss, flooding and water management. The effects of land erosion can be seen not just in Greater New Orleans and South Louisiana, but in many aspects of the country’s economy that rely on the state’s ports, as well as energy and manufacturing industries.
While these issues may seem entirely environmental, coastal land loss has billions of dollars of economic impact on the nation as a whole. So, when GNO, Inc., started the Coalition for Coastal Resilience and Economy (CCRE) in 2013, the goal was to engage the local business community in developing sustainable coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana. By having an informed business constituency, CCRE seeks to ensure that businesses will be much more involved in a topic that is paramount to the future of the state and the nation.
CCRE is a neutral, non-partisan group of leaders from the Southeast Louisiana business community that acts as an informed voice of advocacy for sustainable restoration efforts in Louisiana’s wetlands, river, delta and coastline. The organization’s mission is to not only market the business case for coastal restoration, but also to leverage dedicated funding and ensure that it is used for its intended purpose (to support projects as outlined by the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan). CCRE also aims to increase commerce for local businesses and the local workforce by engaging them in the implementation of coastal restoration projects.
Caroline Hayes, a member of CCRE since 2017 and recently appointed chair of the organization, says her role is to act as an informed, educated voice; to engage with stakeholders across the region; and to seek out opportunities in which the business community can support sustainable restoration efforts in Louisiana.
“Shortly after joining CCRE as a member in 2017, I was taken up in a seaplane to see firsthand how our coastline had changed,” Hayes says. “I will never forget the shock that raced through me when I had a bird’s-eye view of how close the water was to the people and home that I love. Combine that experience with the knowledge that nearly two million people reside in the area we call America’s Wetland, many of whom have made their lives and livelihoods near Louisiana’s coast. I very quickly resolved to become an advocate for protecting this place we all hold so dear.”
According to Hayes, Louisiana has lost 2,000 square miles of coastline since the 1930s and could lose an additional 4,000 square miles in the next 50 years. “This crisis has profound implications for the people, ecology and economy of New Orleans, South Louisiana and, in many cases, the nation,” she says. “Addressing the coastal crisis proactively not only staves off disaster, but can also be the impetus for new economic opportunities in water management and adaptation that can grow economic opportunities for everyone.”
A CCRE project that Hayes is especially excited about is a series of videos that is being showcased to students around the state through multiple programs, including the Louisiana Children’s Museum, Louisiana’s Youth Wetlands & Education Outreach Program, the Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development, and the Lighthouse Museum.
“The three videos, produced by Fat Happy Media, describe the complexities of our state’s relationship with the coast from the viewpoint of Mary Anne the Pel-I-Can, an animated pelican, who tours the viewers through her surroundings in the wetlands and beyond,” Hayes says. “Her storytelling features details that include the role that levees play in impacting the wetlands, an overview of how the Coastal Master Plan works and the impact that working together as a community can have to help our coast and state.”
Hayes also works on coastal restoration through her position on the board of the Young Leadership Council. In January, the organization started a new initiative called YLCoastal that includes a series of educational seminars, tours and volunteer opportunities for young professionals to become informed, active participants in coastal restoration efforts.
“Having a role in both organizations has allowed me to act as a bridge between the knowledge, network and resources CCRE has garnered with the 500-plus civic-minded young professionals that make up the YLC membership,” Hayes says. “As young professionals, we are the next wave of leadership in protecting our coast and the ones that will be most immediately impacted if the Coastal Master Plan is not implemented. My sincere hope is that through this partnership, CCRE will continue to grow support for protecting our coast and YLC will have more opportunities to engage our membership in critical volunteer opportunities.”
Hayes, who also works as the VP of Marketing at AOS Interior Environments, says the buildings and architecture of Louisiana are reflective of the region’s rich history and multicultural heritage, and that the preservation of our buildings extends to the preservation of our businesses, our economy, our cultural assets and our unique way of life. “[Hurricane Katrina] is a reminder of what we have weathered in our past, and the fragility of our future,” Hayes says. “CCRE is doing the kind of work that helps ensure we can always come home.”
In fact, it was Hurricane Katrina that motivated the Walton Family Foundation (a philanthropic foundation begun by Walmart founders Sam and Helen Walton) to invest in coastal restoration initiatives. Senior Program Officer Kristin Tracz manages the foundation’s Mississippi River initiative and a grant portfolio, which seeks to support healthy soils, clean water and a restored and resilient Mississippi River system.
“As of 2020, we have invested $100 million in coastal restoration efforts along the Gulf Coast,” she says. “We believe the Louisiana coast, with the power of the Mississippi River driving restoration, has the potential to not only protect the communities, natural systems and businesses, but also serve as a model to coastal areas across the world threatened by climate change.”
The Walton Family Foundation chose to work with GNO, Inc., and its partners because of initiatives like those helmed by CCRE, which has shown just how vital a role the business community plays in protecting and restoring the coast.
“We’re very excited about CCRE’s work to engage the public and bring on the next generation of coastal leaders,” Tracz says. “[It is important] to ensure that coastal restoration is guided by science and community input, rather than falling prey to political calculations and decision-making. CCRE has also played an important role in bridging the coastal restoration projects with the workforce training and development system in Louisiana, so that Louisianans can take advantage of the jobs likely to be created by spending a billion dollars a year on coastal restoration over the next 10-to-20 years.”
CCRE has already worked with numerous colleges and universities to ensure that short- and long-term workforce needs are being met. For example, the University of New Orleans is now home to the Coastal Engineering and Sciences (CEAS) certification program, one of the only programs of its kind for coastal management in the country. The program curriculum combines technical skills with background education so graduates are able to lead projects in coastal management.
In addition to helping create a trained and educated local workforce, CCRE also has improved communication between government agencies and private companies. In so doing, companies are creating proposals that better match what the governmental agencies need, and in turn, governmental agencies are developing RFPs that better align with local industries.
“The tremendous investments in coastal restoration that Louisiana and the federal government are making are a perfect driver for ensuring opportunities are equitable and inclusive,” Tracz says. “In Louisiana, we see a real chance to show how a partnership of voices from across sectors—non-profit groups, community leaders, academic partners, business voices, government agencies and faith-based communities—can come together to build tangible progress against the threats of a changing climate.”
