Wetlands

Riding to Save the Wetlands and Protect Our Coastline

Making a difference - one mile at a time

Why The Wetlands?

Our Nation's wetlands are found in many parts of the country. Contrary to popular belief not all wetlands are boarded by salt-water bodies. The following site contains an excellent description of wetlands and their importance to our country Environmental Protection Agency - Wetlands. Louisiana and the surrounding areas rely upon the wetlands as source for their fishing and seafood industries, as a pass through point for almost 40% of nations energy products, and most importantly as a means of protection from tidal surge during tropical storms and hurricanes.

Our wetlands in Louisiana are disappearing. Hurricane Katrina has made it all too evident that we are vulnerable to the forces of nature and that the situation is getting worse each year. Perhaps if it were only natural habitat that we were talking about it wouldn't be such a big deal. But it is that and more! People's lives, homes and jobs are dependent on maintaining the wetlands. Not just for the inhabitants of Louisiana and those states with tidal wetlands, but everyone in the entire country. You experience the importance of the wetlands each time you fill up at your gasoline station, pay a utility bill, or dine on fresh seafood from the gulf.

Hand in hand with wetland ecology is coastal erosion. Our coastlines from the East coast to the West and down to the Gulf of Mexico have undergone significant changes in the last several decades. Natural breeding habitats have been lost due to costal erosion from industry and urbanization. To learn more about this visit Save Our Lake or America's WETLAND. This is a very informative National Geographic article "Gone with the water".

So, why select Wetland Protection and Coastal Erosion as my cause? Why should individuals and corporations pledge me their support? Why over 12,000 miles on a motorcycle for some swamp land and sand beaches? The answer to all these questions is easy. We are loosing actual land mass! Land that if not reclaimed in the near future will be lost forever and with it the habitat and ecology that is indigenous to it. This picture of the Chandeleur Island chain just off the Louisiana coast tells the whole story. If this destruction can occur from one storm just imagine what will happen to the remainder of the island chain and neighboring lands after the next storm. Please help support Wetland Protection and Coastal Restoration. Click here to find out how you can help.

Want to find out more? Click on the picture for other sites that you may find interesting. Support Wetland and Coastal Restoration with your donation.

The Coast Guardians - Founding Sponsor for Riding The Rim

P.O. Box 81 Mandeville, LA 70470 Call: 504-722-3739 terry@ridingtherim.com