As Louisiana’s coastline continues to shrink and storms grow more intense, the stakes for coastal communities have never been higher. In Southwest Louisiana, the Just Imagine SWLA 50-Year Resilience Master Plan places Coastal Protection at the forefront of its vision for a stronger, more resilient future. Clair Hebert Marceaux, the vice chair of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana and a champion for the Coastal Protection project in the Just Imagine plan, has been a vocal advocate for bold, inclusive action rooted in local expertise.   

 

In this month’s Q&A, Marceaux shares her perspective on the critical role of community input, the biggest coastal challenges facing our region, and how both the Coastal Protection Restoration Authority (CPRA) and local initiatives like Just Imagine must work hand in hand to protect what matters most. As CPRA begins its engagement process for its 2029 Coastal Master Plan, her insights underscore a powerful truth: the people who live, work, and build their lives along the coast must help shape its future.  

The CPRA is beginning its engagement process for its next five-year master plan. Why is community input so critical to this process?  

  • Community input is absolutely vital to CPRA’s master planning process because the people who live in coastal Louisiana are the ones most directly affected and most knowledgeable about its challenges. It is the fishermen and women, the cattle farmers, the oyster harvesters, alligator harvesters, and others who choose to live in and make their living in the coastal landscape who should have a say in what guides our actions on the protection and restoration of our state’s coast. Those who live on the coast are the local experts. They are the scientists who live and breathe it. Sharing the stewardship of not only suggesting projects for the newest version of the master plan but also helping to ensure that your neighbors can understand what is being included in the plan and that this information is understandable and accessible to all stakeholders, is our collective responsibility.  

From your perspective, what are the biggest coastal challenges facing Southwest Louisiana today, and how do you see CPRA’s work addressing them?  

  • Diaspora: As someone who has lost their home down to a concrete slab twice in my lifetime, I know the pain of looking around in disbelief, anger, grief, and resolve to return, more than anyone should. No one I know wants a handout or pity. They want affordable insurance that pays when a legitimate claim is made. They want reasonable building regulations that are attainable and sustainable. They want reliable infrastructure that supports life in places that drive our nation’s energy independence, national security, and feeds the people who live throughout our country, not just on the coast. 

  • Land loss and erosion: Our state has lost more than 1.2 million acres of coastline since 1932. For scale, that is almost twice the land area in Rhode Island.  

  • Sea level rise: In my lifetime, I have witnessed a noticeable increase in areas I never saw water growing up in Cameron Parish. The higher the water levels are, the higher the storm surge is when tropical systems strike.  

  • These are complex issues, and understandably, people have tremendous passion for them. The CPRA is listening, and we only have ourselves to blame if we say nothing. Our coast is a frontline for climate resilience. Our future depends on bold, inclusive action. My engagement over the years has shown me that the agency is made up of people who love coastal Louisiana, too, and they want to hear from us. They have built a career using their lives to make the lives of others better.  

How does the Just Imagine SWLA vision align with or support the goals of CPRA’s master plan?  

  • Our Just Imagine SWLA catalytic projects have at the top of the list “Coastal Flood Risk Reduction”. That work begins at the coast. The CPRA’s support of projects like ME-18 at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge is a perfect example of the CPRA acknowledging the work of coastal ambassadors like Scooter Trosclair, who, in no small feat, took a small-scale demonstration project and helped turn it into miles of coastline that are now experiencing accretion at remarkable rates. His refusal to give up should be an inspiration to us all to make a difference.  

For residents who may not be familiar with coastal planning, what’s one key message you’d want them to take away from these upcoming engagement opportunities?  

  • Restoring and protecting Louisiana’s most precious coast is not just about beneficial use of dredge materials or shoreline protection; it’s about building resilience together. We have ONE coast. If you live on the coast or have any interest (be it cultural, historical, friends, family, a love of fresh seafood, land ownership, commerce, recreation, birdwatching, hunting, fishing, shelling, or any other reason), please use your voice. 

The development of the 2029 Coastal Master Plan is underway! CPRA is now accepting new project ideas for potential inclusion in its next five-year master plan. Visit bit.ly/CPRA2029 or scan the QR code to submit project ideas. Follow Just Imagine SWLA and the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority for updates to the planning process and announcements of public meetings in Southwest Louisiana.