Work has begun on a 54.9 million dollar restoration of the North Breton Island wildlife sanctuary, a vital brown pelican habitat just east of the Plaquemines Parish.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson Taylor Pool said the project will add 400 acres of land to the third-largest colony for waterbirds in the state.
“It is a very vital habitat for these birds and barrier islands are very alluvial and succumb to storm surge and erosion impacts,” said Pool who also noted North Breton is a crucial barrier island for protecting the Crescent City from storm surge.
North Breton Island was named a National Wildlife Refuge in 1904 by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Callan Marine has been contracted to pump 5.87 million cubic yards of sand onto the island’s beaches, more than doubling the island’s current 290 acres. Pool says it’s not an easy job considering how far off the coast the island is.
“They needed to place down a platform in order for them to actually get their equipment onto the island in order for them to create a sturdy surface to pump all of this sand,” said Pool.
Much of the funding for the project comes from Deepwater Horizon Spill settlement money.
Pool says they hope to have the project completed by spring, but if the project is stalled by inclement weather they’ll have to pause until after nesting season has wrapped up.
The project was first approved for construction in 2014.
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