By Connor Gilbert

We know that Louisiana loses a football field of land every 100 minutes. But what does that mean for our culture and economy? Every day, our working coast, vital wildlife habitat and people’s homes are made more vulnerable than ever.

Therefore, restoration projects like the Highway 1 Terracing and Living Shoreline project in lower Lafourche Parish are more important than ever. Led by Ducks Unlimited alongside state, parish, nonprofit, and private partners, the project represents a major investment in both coastal resilience and wildlife and fisheries habitat restoration in one of the most vulnerable regions of coastal Louisiana.

The Highway 1 Terracing and Living Shoreline project includes more than 73,375 linear feet of earthen terraces, vegetative plantings designed to stabilize marsh habitat and 10,000 linear feet of living shoreline protection utilizing Cajun Coral, a 3D-printed artificial reef technology developed by Natrx. These terraces are designed to reduce wave energy, slow erosion, and rebuild deteriorating marshes along the Highway 1 corridor. By adding terraces to these open water areas, the project naturally captures sediment and encourages the return of submerged aquatic vegetation, which in turn serves as critical nursery habitat for juvenile fish, shrimp and crabs.

The project is equally as important for waterfowl and other coastal birds. Healthy coastal marshes provide feeding, nesting and wintering habitat for ducks, geese, wading birds and other migratory species that depend on these wetlands in the Terrebonne Basin. Restoring these wetlands also benefits redfish, speckled trout, and countless other fish tied to Louisiana’s outdoor traditions, hunting culture and recreational fishing economy. Coastal restoration is not just about protecting land, but also preserving habitat and ecosystems that sustain wildlife and fisheries and the livelihoods of local communities.

Recently, Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) announced additional support for the Highway 1 Terracing Extension through its 2025 Parish Matching Program in partnership with the Lafourche Parish Government. The extension project will add approximately 19,600 additional linear feet of earthen terraces, providing added protection for Louisiana Highway 1, which acts as a vital hurricane evacuation route and winds down to Port Fourchon, an incredibly important energy hub, and nearby levees while expanding the larger restoration effort already underway.  This project is another major step toward strengthening coastal infrastructure and reducing storm risk for nearby communities and critical transportation corridors.

The project demonstrates the power of collaboration in addressing Louisiana’s coastal crisis. Key partners include Ducks Unlimited, ConocoPhillips, Apache Louisiana Minerals LLC, Lafourche Parish Government, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Shell Oil Company, NOAA, Occidental Petroleum Corp., The Chubb Foundation, and Chevron. Together, these organizations are helping invest in nature-based solutions that protect infrastructure, restore wetlands, strengthen habitats, and preserve Louisiana’s unique coastal heritage for future generations.