Replenishing Wetlands: a Relief for Ecosystems and Communities

One of the most significant resilience projects in the world has been going strong for two decades now, and it aims at not only replenishing Louisiana’s wetlands in the U.S., but also reconnecting them to the Mississippi River, a source of agriculture and food for millions of people.

As wetlands function like natural speed bumps, their restoration is crucial to save fragile ecosystems and the communities who rely on them for their livelihood and safety against climate catastrophes.

Through the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, it will be possible to rebuild the wetlands at a pace that will keep up with rising sea levels. For the wetlands to keep up their protective work, freshwater and sediment should continue to flow from the river. Wetlands are crucial in slowing storms and extreme weather impacts on communities, biodiversity, and ecosystems. Combined efforts from philanthropists, community leaders, advocates, and governments made it all come true. This project could serve as a model for other communities to adopt in the future.