Meraux Foundation Celebrates $35M Award for Coastal Restoration Project in Wood Lake

 The Meraux Foundation proudly celebrates the approval of $35 million in funding under the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) for the Wood Lake Marsh Creation and Terraces project. The Meraux Foundation designed it in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. This critical initiative will restore and protect marshland in St. Bernard Parish, northeast of Lake Lery and bordered by Howard’s Ditch and Bayou Terre aux Boeufs (BTaB).

"This project is an important step toward restoring and protecting our vital wetlands, which serve as natural storm barriers and critical habitats," said Blaise Pezold, Coastal and Environmental Program Manager at the Meraux Foundation. "By reinforcing the ridge and protecting Delacroix’s only hurricane evacuation route, we are safeguarding both the environment and the community."

Project Map.  Wood Lake Marsh Creation/Nourishment and Terraces (11/12/2022 imagery) with synergistic projects in the white polygons.

Decades of environmental damage—including hurricanes, rising water levels, and human activities—have severely eroded the marshes in the area. Storms such as Hurricane Katrina (2005), Gustave (2008), Isaac (2012), and Ida (2021) further deteriorated these wetlands, making them more vulnerable to tidal forces and wind-driven waves. Today, many marshes north of the project site are connected to Lake Lery, exposing them to increased erosion and energy from open water.

The Wood Lake Marsh Creation and Terraces project aims to restore 421 acres of marshland by creating and nourishing wetlands. It will build more than 13,000 linear feet of terraces to reduce water movement and wave action between Lake Lery and the northern marshes. It will reinforce the BTaB Ridge to stabilize surrounding marshlands and protect the Delacroix community’s sole hurricane evacuation route. This project will strengthen the natural defenses of St. Bernard Parish, reduce the risk of storm surge flooding, and preserve critical wildlife habitats.

Established in 1990, CWPPRA is a federal program dedicated to designing and building coastal restoration projects. Through collaboration between five federal agencies and the State of Louisiana, CWPPRA has authorized more than 200 projects, restoring and protecting over 100,000 acres of wetlands. It remains the only consistent federal-state initiative with dedicated funding to combat Louisiana’s rapidly disappearing coastal wetlands.

With environmental programs as one of its main focus areas, the Meraux Foundation has seen much success in plans carried out under CWPPRA. The Foundation is involved in the design and implementation of CWPPRA projects, including Bayou La Loutre Ridge Restoration and Marsh Creation and Reggio Marsh Creation and Hydrological Restoration. Additionally, it has successfully proposed plantings along the MRGO in Shell Beach, Bay Denesse, and elsewhere as part of CWPPRA’s LA-39 Coastwide Vegetative Planting project. 

"We are thrilled to celebrate the approval of funding for the Wood Lake Marsh Creation and Terraces project," said Rita Gue, president of the Meraux Foundation. "This project is a testament to the power of partnerships in restoring and protecting the invaluable wetlands of St. Bernard Parish. With environmental stewardship as a core focus of our mission, we are proud to have played a role in designing this critical initiative. We remain steadfast in our commitment to preserving Louisiana’s coastal heritage for future generations."

Meraux Foundation coastal and environmental initiatives range from helping prepare students for high-wage careers in blue-green industries to growing and planting grass along marshes to designing multimillion-dollar restoration projects.