A Perspective on the Louisiana Wetland Loss and Coastal Erosion Problem

Abstract

The vast majority of coastal areas of the United States as well as other coastal regions around the world are under increasing stress from both natural processes (e.g., erosion, catastrophic storms, sediment deficits, subsidence, rising sea level) and the effects of population growth and increasing development. Coastal regions, including the Great Lakes, are now home to more than 138 million people (53 percent of the U.S. population) who use the areas increasingly for recreation, transportation, energy extraction and transmission, and waste disposal. Equally important, barrier islands, estuaries, and coastal wetlands provide valuable habitats for wildlife and commercial fisheries.