Meraux Foundation Coastal and Environmental Program Manager Blaise Pezold Honored

Meraux Foundation Coastal and Environmental Program Manager Blaise Pezold (right) is presented with the Guy Caire Award for leadership in soil and water conservation by Ben Langlinais of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. Download image here.

The Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts (LACD) recognized Meraux Foundation Coastal and Environmental Program Manager Blaise Pezold with the 44th Guy Caire Award at the annual LACD conference awards banquet. The award is presented each year to an individual who has displayed leadership, goodwill, and personal involvement in the promotion of soil and water conservation.  

“Blaise is prolific in his work to protect and restore our coast, and this recognition is well-deserved,” said Rebecca Livaudais, Chair of the Crescent Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), who nominated Pezold for the award.

As the Meraux Foundation’s Coastal and Environmental Program Manager, Pezold is involved in a range of soil and water conservation activities across Southeast Louisiana. He also serves on the Crescent SWCD board, on the LACD Forestry committee, as treasurer of the Coastal Resources committee, and as one of two directors for Area V.  

Guy Caire was an outstanding supervisor for Lower Delta SWCD  and actively involved with the conservation movement within the state and district. When Mr. Caire passed away, the district initiated this award in his memory in 1979.  

“I’m honored to receive this prestigious award and share it with everyone at the Meraux Foundation and all our partners in this important work to conserve our soil and water,” said Pezold. “This is much more than a job for me, it’s a passion. I get to engage with so many dynamic people, to be part of envisioning big ideas, and to, literally, get my hands dirty. So while I’m extremely grateful for this award, the real prize is what we’re achieving together on the ground - and in the water!”

To advance the Foundation's mission to improve the quality of life in St. Bernard Parish, Pezold helps plan and execute the nonprofit's work to preserve, protect, and restore the area's natural environment- especially its vulnerable coast. His work includes field projects, strategic partnerships, community engagement, and public awareness. He serves as a liaison on coastal matters between nonprofit, government, and strategic partners. He helped design several multi-million-dollar projects that have been approved or are currently being considered for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) funding. He works with Nunez Community College and other organizations on  The Chandeleur Living Shoreline project. Additionally, he spearheads, participates in, and lends his technical expertise on dozens of coastal planting projects and educational programs throughout the year. 

Prior to joining the Meraux Foundation in 2017, Pezold was an Agriculture Environmental Specialist III for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, where he designed and implemented numerous coastal projects across southeast Louisiana. Notably, he designed the $29 million Bayou La Loutre Ridge and Marsh restoration CWPPRA project, for which he won two awards for outstanding service in 2016 from the St. Bernard Parish president and council, respectively. 

Learn more at www.merauxfoundation.org.