Tag: Western Carolina University

Slabbed catches up with Rob Young and his case against the sand berms

Lifers here at Slabbed no doubt remember our introduction of Rob Young to the Slabbed nation back in March 2009 and again early this year. Rob is a professor of coastal ecology at Western Carolina University and director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines and is attracted to our beaches like a fly to light. Naturally I was not surprised to find Western Carolina just issued a press release which announced Rob and team are joining the fray:

Scientists from Western Carolina University’s Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines are lending their expertise to help determine the best way to mitigate damage to coastal communities from the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The scientists from PSDS, an internationally known program that uses science to influence public policy affecting management of shorelines across the globe, are evaluating the many coastal engineering proposals for responding to the oil spill.

“So far, we have conducted two aerial reconnaissance surveys of the area that is being affected by this environmental disaster,” said Rob Young, PSDS director. “In addition, scientists from the program have been working on the ground in coastal Louisiana to assess the impact.” Continue reading “Slabbed catches up with Rob Young and his case against the sand berms”

Save our Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes

Cat and Ship Islands - Gulf Islands National Seashore
Cat and Ship Islands - Gulf Islands National Seashore

It is said a picture is worth a thousand words and in these pictures are two barrier islands in the Mississippi Sound. As Nowdy would say they belong to you and me, preserved forever in the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Part inspiration for artists and home to seabirds these islands protect the mainland from stormy seas. Still standing despite being hit by Camille and then Katrina 36 years later these islands are as important to the ecology of the Mississippi Coast as the marshes of Plaquemines and St Bernard Parishes are to New Orleans and the North Shore.

I’ve been holding this post since early last month beginning with the release of the revised Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program, a topic we’ve blogged on extensively here at Slabbed, most recently here and here.

While the story of the ongoing development of the Coastal Improvement Program is vital to the coast it has been one of those topics Nowdy and I simply don’t have time to cover right now due to time constraints associated with our day jobs thus it’s consignment to the dreaded drafts folder which is the slabbed equivalent of the roach motel with few ever making it back out. Thanks to a strangely out of context but well timed Op-ed in today’s Clarion Ledger this post literally has arisen from the stormy deep albeit in a differing direction.

Before we pick apart the Op-ed some helpful local context is in order. Continue reading “Save our Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes”