Protecting Environment
The health of the Pointe au Chien people and the health of their surrounding environment are one and the same; as the community rebuilds after Hurricane Ida, they are also rebuilding the coast that contributes so greatly to their lifeway. Louisiana is washing away at a rate of approximately one football field per day, one of the fastest eroding areas in the world. As the land disappears, so does the home of the Pointe au Chien tribe, their access to the shrimp, crab, and fish that they catch, eat, and sell, and the wetlands that buffer storms as they make their way inland.
The tribe has existed and thrived with the coast for time immemorial, and now the tribe is fighting to protect and preserve it. They are championing green and sustainable climate solutions to defend their home.
Living Shoreline
In the face of high coastal erosion, rising sea levels, and frequent hurricanes, Pointe au Chien Indian Tribe began to create artificial oyster reefs. Built from recycled oyster shells donated by local restaurants, these reefs limit the power of waves and reduce coastal erosion by 50%. They have withstood several hurricanes and protect the traditional mounds of the Pointe au Chien ancestors, which are increasingly washed away by the encroaching ocean.
These oyster reefs also attract living oyster larvae, which grow to increase the species diversity of the area as they in turn attract more fish and aquatic plant species. This is why the oyster reefs are called a living shoreline.
Backfilling Canals
In southeast Louisiana, more than 35,000 canals have been dug up to extract oil and gas, resulting in 10,000 miles of disrupted wetlands. More than three-fourths of these canals are no longer in use, yet remain unfilled. These empty canals provide paths for surging ocean waters to rush inland during severe weather, bypassing the naturally winding bayou and dramatically hastening coastal erosion. As a result, Tribal members are threatened with the loss of traditional livelihoods—such as farming and shrimping—as well as displacement.
To remedy this, the Pointe au Chien Indian Tribe has partnered with the Grand Caillou/Dulac Tribe, the Grand Bayou Atakapa-Ishak/Chawasha Tribe, and the Lowlander Center to backfill empty canals. In particular, the tribes work together to identify which canals threaten to erode burial grounds and other sacred sites. Filling empty canals back up helps to strengthen the marsh ecosystem, mitigate land loss, and thus prevent further disruption of native lifeways.
The difference between a backfilled canal and unbackfilled canal. (Turner & McClenachan 2018)