Hurricane Katrina gave the nation an urgent reminder of the
extent and value of Louisiana's wetlands when daily discussions
of subsidence and sedimentation revealed how much ordinary
coastal processes affect humanit--and vice versa. Now, with a
native Louisiana naturalist as a guide, readers can learn how best
to enjoy, appreciate, and protect this vanishing landscape.
Part natural history and part field guide, The Louisiana
Coast takes readers across one of only three major chenier
plains in the world to the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river
basin swamp on the continent, and through the network of
bayous, natural levees, cypress swamps, marshes, and barrier
islands of the Deltaic Plain.
Color photographs illustrate chapters on vegetation, wildlife,
and the rich human culture that defines Louisiana. With the
intimate knowledge of one whose life has been shaped by this
remarkable environment, author Gay M. Gomez leads visitors to
nature trails, wildlife refuges, Audubon sanctuaries, and parks. A
visitor's guide at the end of the book features destinations open to
the public for wildlife watching, photography, and even hunting,
fishing, crabbing, and cast netting.
Everyone who lives in or visits Louisiana and anyone interested
in the conservation, ecology, natural history, and geography of the
region will appreciate Gomez's exploration of the land, its people,
its resources, and its vulnerabilities. The Louisiana Coast will
encourage readers to share the author's love for this vital, distinct,
and beautiful place.
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GAY M. GOMEZ is associate professor of geography at McNeese
State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A professional nature
guide and longtime activist and champion for the preservation of the
state's wetlands, she has served on the board of directors for the
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and the Louisiana
Ornithological Society, and on the advisory board for the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries' White Lake Wetland
Conservation Area.
