General DNR News

Coast 2050 Time Capsule Event Held Today at Thibodaux Festival

Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Jack Caldwell today presented to Nicholls State University a piece of history in the form of a "Time Capsule" for safekeeping until the year 2050. The Time Capsule presentation took place during the opening event of the Barataria-Terrebonne Culture and Ecological Festival at Peltier Park in Thibodaux. The capsule contains plans, policies, letters, maps and videos associated with the state's Coast 2050 planning initiative from the years 1997-1998.

Festival-goers and the next generation of Louisianians heard testimony from officials and environmentalists on the significance and symbolism of the Coast 2050 Time Capsule, while 12-year old Christopher Lirette of Houma accepted the Time Capsule on behalf of Louisianians of the twenty-first century. A Foster Administration priority has been the preservation and conservation of the state's coastal region along with empowering government agencies and policy makers to work toward the development of a sound plan to sustain our coastal resources.

At present time, coastal Louisiana is losing 25-35 square miles of land annually. The Coast 2050 planning initiative was started in June 1997 by DNR's Office of Coastal Restoration and Management in partnership with federal, state and local agencies, and including citizen participation from four designated regions within the coastal zone. Watershed repair and management are key elements of the plan. Endorsements of the Coast 2050 planning strategies have come from local parish governments that also place emphasis on the need to have a multiple use approach to ecosystem management.

The Time Capsule will be sealed, locked, and placed in the university's library on Nicholls State campus and will be opened in the year 2050 when a new generation can measure goals and successes in the execution of coastal processes and policies over that span of time.

The inscription and words of Governor M. J. "Mike" Foster, Jr. placed on top of the Time Capsule say, "We have no choice but to take action for the protection and restoration of our coast for ourselves, our children and their children. This Time capsule is to be opened in 2050. It is a testimony of our dedication to a healthy, sustainable coast for Louisiana's future."

Editors: For additional information on this topic, please contact DNR Public Information at 225-342-0556.