Volunteer Opportunity: Beach Restoration at Elmer’s Island, October 19-20

By Seyi Fayanju, Environmental Defense Fund

Credit: www.crcl.org

Want a peek at what barrier island restoration looks like? Thanks to the Bayou Land Resource Conservation & Development Council and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, you’ll have a chance to see it first-hand and get your hands dirty in the process at a two-day volunteer event scheduled to take place today and tomorrow on Elmer’s Island.

Volunteers will be working with organization staff on sand fence installation and dune grass planting projects along the shoreline of Elmer’s Island, a sliver of barrier beachfront near Grand Isle in lower Jefferson Parish. Refreshments and required work equipment will be provided on-site.

This area, which was severely impacted by the BP oil disaster last year, is one of many shoreline habitats needing continued help in its recovery from the spill. Volunteer events like this one provide a great opportunity for local residents interested in restoration jobs to sample some of the day-to-day tasks involved in environmental rehabilitation, a field that will likely grow in importance as comprehensive plans to restore coastal Louisiana move forward in Baton Rouge and Washington.

If you are interested in volunteering for tomorrow’s dune grass planting, please register online here or contact the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana by calling 1-(888)-LACOAST or by email at coalition@crcl.org.