This project seeks to design and pilot a model for the engagement of Gulf Coast and national cross-boundary networks in support of the Isle de Jean Charles resettlement project. The Isle de Jean Charles Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw (IdJC) of Southeastern Louisiana has lost 98 percent of their land since 1955, due to a combination of threats including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, lack of soil and sediment renewal, and dredging for oil and gas pipelines. In response to these challenges, the Tribe and partners have developed a resettlement plan, one of the first of its kind in the world, to move families to less environmentally vulnerable land, along with program evaluation and outreach for teaching other coastal communities. To carry out this plan, tribal leaders and members must engage with professionals and experts, such as those on this team. It is essential for the IdJC to have a process in place for successful engagement that prioritizes the needs of the community and results in appropriate projects developed in partnership. The model created from this project will facilitate the synthesis of knowledges from scientific and professional partners with community knowledge. The model is being developed, and pilot tested, through engagement with design professionals and the scientific community in the development of site and building designs, and community education, outreach, and programming, focused on promoting human and environmental health and wellbeing. Creating a model for sustainable networks of professional and academic institutions to address human and environmental challenges has the potential to benefit all coastal communities.
Results/Conclusions
Outcomes of the project will include: a) A network of scientists, designers, and professionals that can continue to collaborate with the IdJC into the future as further challenges emerge; b) A case study and toolkit allowing other coastal communities to develop sustainable cross-boundary networks; c) A model and strategy for integration of diverse types of scientific, ecological, and traditional knowledges to help coastal communities problem solve; d) Models for anticipatory learning engagement addressing climate change; e) A demonstration of how multiple societal sectors can partner to solve the challenges facing coastal communities today and into the future.