General DNR News

TRAVELING WETLANDS EXHIBIT NOW FEATURED AT STATE CAPITOL

"SAVE LOUISIANA WETLANDS," a picturesque and informative exhibit produced by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), is now on display through June in the State Capitol Memorial Hall near the entrance to the Senate Chambers.

Visitors to the exhibit will also see and hear from celebrity muppet Kermit the Frog, as he testifies to the importance of saving and restoring the state's wetlands—on behalf of "several thousands of his cousins."

The Save Louisiana Wetlands exhibit is intended to call attention to the alarming loss of coastal lands in Louisiana and what impact that has on the rest of the nation. Dramatically enough, coastal erosion and land loss means loss of valuable fisheries, seafood, agriculture, bird and animal habitat, and loss of hurricane and storm protection. Even more so, is the threat of serious economic losses coupled with endangered communities forced to move away from their homes, lives and culture.

DNR Secretary Jack Caldwell said the exhibit is a public awareness tool to educate and to communicate an extremely critical environmental message. Caldwell said while coastal restoration and management efforts are costly, coastal experts in the state contend that the cost of failure (to act) is much greater than the price of victory in the battle to restore, enhance and preserve our resources. He said support and understanding of coastal restoration in Louisiana must be taken to a national level of participation.

The kiosk features a 15-minute video production entitled, Sounds of Silence, that explains Louisiana's coastal loss, its value to the nation, and outlines important federal legislation now pending in Congress that would bring Louisiana more than $300 million a year in revenues from offshore oil and gas production to help save the state's fragile coastline.

The wetlands exhibit sponsored by DNR's Office of Coastal Restoration and Management will travel to meetings, conferences and workshops across the state and to scheduled events outside the state.

Editors: For more information on this release, call DNR Public Information at 225-342-8955. Information on the Save Louisiana Wetlands campaign can be obtained by visiting www.savelawetlands.org or by calling 1-888-459-6107.