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YOUR SOURCE FOR LEARNING, PLANNING AND ACTIVELY IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES NEEDED TO ADAPT TO COASTAL CHANGES

Our changing coastlines present opportunities for communities to think differently about the future. So that all residents have voices in shaping their futures, the State of Louisiana, the Foundation for Louisiana and local organizations are working with residents across our coast to prepare for a more vibrant tomorrow. Fueled by your ideas, LA SAFE is an open, inclusive way to bring everyone together to prepare for how our communities can successfully adapt to coastal challenges.

LAUNCH PARISHES

LA SAFE is implementing a planning process in the 6-parish area to develop a vision, including programs, projects and policy recommendations, for the next generation. The following parishes are eligible for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) resources because of remaining unmet needs from Hurricane Isaac in 2012.

GEOGRAPHY 2015 POPULATION
Jefferson Parish 436,275
Lafourche Parish 98,325
Plaquemines Parish 23,495
St. John the Baptist Parish 43,626
St. Tammany Parish 250,088
Terrebonne Parish 113,579
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PRINCIPLES OF THIS PROCESS

SHARE POWER
In a process that shares power, community members get to shape the goals, come up with solutions, and help choose which should be implemented first. All participants get to roll up their sleeves and add ideas to the strategies, as well as make decisions on what will happen.
PRIORITIZE RELATIONSHIPS
To prioritize relationships means that we take care of one another and take time to actually get to know each other as people. It means that we do not treat people just as a source of survey data or as a means to an end. We value building relationships and trust with community members on the front lines of our coastal challenge.
INCLUDE ALL POINTS OF VIEW
This process will include all points of view, which means that we value the many kinds of diversity in our communities—and that we need everyone’s ideas to come up with the smartest solutions. To include all points of view, we have to bring all community members to the table—and we have to make sure that everyone feels respected and comfortable to share their particular point of view.
USE ALL KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE
To use all kinds of knowledge means that we give equal respect to different kinds of knowledge, whether the knowledge comes from technical training or formal education, or whether it comes from life experiences, emotional responses or instinct. When we use all kinds of knowledge, we open up so many more possibilities for brilliant ideas.
TEST SOLUTIONS EARLY AND OFTEN
We want to test solutions early & often, which means that we share and talk through ideas for solutions before we develop them in detail. We want the community to come up with ideas, choose what is most important, and help figure out how they will work. Because we are not leaping to any final solutions, we will have plenty of time to go back or change plans along the way.

LA SAFE By the Numbers

2500
Homes Expected to Have 14 ft of Flood Depth in 50 Years

10240
Acres of Land Are Sinking Into the Gulf Every Year

965781
Total Residents Living in Launch Parishes

1120000
Acres Projected to Be Lost in Less than 50 Years

Reasons We Must Adapt

Massive Land Loss

Nearly 2,000 square miles of our coastal landscape have disappeared into the gulf over the last 80 years. As we face extreme rates of land loss, local residents must begin working towards addressing all challenges and developing solutions to respond.

Economic Relief

Residents who lack the resources to quickly adapt to growing coastal challenges will endure the pressures of mitigating, adapting and finding migration options. To ensure they have economic relief, we must begin making preparation tools accessible.

The Planning Process

The challenge is greater than only coastal restoration. We cannot build land faster than we are losing it. This means we must begin creating a strategy process for adaptation, as well as a co-design process, to strategically respond to the changing landscape.

Resources

LA SAFE Round 5 Community Meeting Overview

This video explains our fifth round of community meetings and how we are continuing to work within the six parishes to strategically prepare for the next several decades in the face of coastal erosion and land loss.

See how our coast has changed.

2017 Coastal Master Plan

View the CPRA's Coastal Master Plan data viewer and learn more about how coastal flood risk impacts communities today and in the future, and also about specific projects called for in the 2017 Coastal Master Plan.
Open Viewer

Be a Part of the Process

We want to hear your thoughts and ideas. Join us in creating a better future environment by getting involved. We welcome those who would like to participate in the Lead the Coast program, volunteer for an event, lead a table discussion or host a community event.Â