ABSTRACT

Many of the world's coastal communities are on hazardous ground. Sea level is rising; the land is sinking and hurricanes are a constant threat -- a precarious combination for the world's sea-level citizens. These are environmental problems that have been a part of Louisiana's settlement history for more than two centuries. From its inception, New Orleans has been at the mercy of the environment. In as much as arable land has always been in short supply, the city's only practical solution was reclamation of the surrounding wetland peats, mucks and "coffee grounds." New Orleans has become, therefore, North America's premier sinking city.

Communities within the marsh and on the barrier islands were settled by a melange of ethnic groups. These trapper-farmer-fisher folk utilized the wetlands to support their subsistence economies. Their isolated communities were at risk from the storm surge and winds of an unexpected hurricane. In 1856 and 1893 hurricanes ravaged settlements in coastal Louisiana; destruction was total.

Subsidence, sea-level rise and hurricanes are contemporary concerns. But the historical record documents the difficulties of living on the edge. The challenge is ahead and we must be prepared for the consequences. New Orleans, Last Island and Cheniere Caminada document the problems associated with living within Louisiana's coastal lowlands.