State of the coast 2027
Overview
SOC 2027 will take place May 11 to 13 in Hall I of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The biennial conference, which is hosted by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana in partnership with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and The Water Institute, features dynamic programming including plenary sessions, panel discussions, presentations, workshops and more designed to stimulate conversation and innovate solutions for Louisiana’s coast.
The 2027 event is expected to attract more than 1,300 scientists, landowners, land managers, federal and state agency personnel, local officials, industry and business leaders, resource users, students and residents of coastal communities.
Theme
The theme of the 2027 State of the Coast conference is: The Next 100 Years: A Century of Opportunity.
It harks back to the momentous year of 1927, when flooding along the Mississippi and Atchafalaya and other rivers caused catastrophic damage and loss of life in Louisiana and across the Deep South. That tragedy had far-reaching implications, shattering the public’s faith in humans’ ability to control nature. It also led to a new era of river management that has stamped a permanent impression on Louisiana’s coast.
As we look back at a century, we’ll also be thinking of what’s ahead, about what the future will bring and how best to move forward.
The theme is intended to be a spark, not a guardrail. We hope that it inspires those who are already working to restore and protect Louisiana’s coast – and that it enables productive conversations and visionary ideas.
Partners
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to unite people in action to achieve a thriving, sustainable Louisiana coast for all.
Incorporated in 1988, CRCL represents a unique mix of businesses, local governments, industries, scientific communities, national and local conservation groups, hunters, anglers and a broad spectrum of concerned residents who share a common vision and commitment to the sustainability of coastal Louisiana. The common vision of these varied and diverse interests is the driving strength of CRCL, the most effective and recognized coastal advocacy organization in the state.
Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority
The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) is the single state entity with authority to develop, articulate, implement and enforce a comprehensive Coastal Master Plan of unified vision to reduce tropical storm surge flood impact, to restore our bountiful natural resources, to build land to protect our nation’s critical energy infrastructure and to secure Louisiana’s coast now and for future generations.
By marshaling the expertise and resources of federal and state agencies, local government, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector, CPRA integrates and translates the objectives, projects and goals of the Coastal Master Plan into on-the-ground action.
The Water Institute
The Water Institute is a not-for-profit, independent and applied research institute dedicated to providing advanced understanding and technical expertise to support management of coastal, deltaic and water systems within Louisiana, across the Gulf Coast and around the world. Our mission supports the practical application of innovative science and engineering, providing solutions that benefit society.
Those who make policy and coastal and deltaic systems, as well as managers of natural resources, need high-quality science and engineering to guide their decisions. Nowhere is this need greater than coastal Louisiana, which is losing its wetlands at a catastrophic rate. Addressing Louisiana’s coastal crisis requires application of sound knowledge and data – in the near term and for the long haul. The Water Institute was founded in 2011 to address exactly this sort of challenge.
