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Coastal Marsh Die-back in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
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Director Chip Groat
with Governor Mike Foster.
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USGS Director Chip Groat was one of three keynote speakers at a conference on "Coastal
Marsh Die-back in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Extent, Causes, Consequences, and Remedies,"
held recently in Baton Rouge, La. He spoke on "Science for Understanding Change in Coastal
Ecosystems and Restoring Degraded Environments." Other keynote speakers were Donald F. Boesch,
President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences, and Robert R. Twilley,
Director, Center for Ecology and Environmental Technology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Governor Mike Foster attended part of the conference and was also represented by Len Bahr.
U.S. Senators John Breaux and Mary Landrieu sent additional representatives.
The conference was attended by more than 350 scientists, private citizens, landowners, and
managers. The USGS along with other Federal and State agencies as well as members of the private
sector sponsored the conference in response to an unprecedented and widespread marsh die-back
affecting Louisiana and parts of Texas and Florida. Beginning last spring, the normally lush
green saltwater marsh grass, Spartina alterniflora, also known as smooth cordgrass, began
turning brown. Because Louisiana loses 65 to 90 km2 of coastal wetlands a year, the impact
of this new problem is of great concern in the State.
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March 2001
in this issue:
cover story:
Natural Hydrocarbons in Gulf of Alaska
Black History Month
Glacial Floods Video
Coastal Marsh Die-Back in Gulf of Mexico
Carbonate Beaches 2000
USGS Information: Electronic Age
CMG Program Webmasters
Leaky Coastal Margins / Karst Interest Group
Nat'l Sand & Gravel
Ordnance Mine Burial
Monterey Bay
Partnership Publications
Earthquake Hazards Video
March Publications List
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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