Terrebonne Economic Development Foundation, partnering with TPCG, is a 2023 recipient of the Greater New Orleans Foundation's Next 100 Years Challenge award of $100,000 benefiting Terrebonne Parish's Nature & Recreation Conservatory.

The Next 100 Years Challenge is aimed to assist climate resiliency projects with funding and assistance refining their proposals to obtain federal funding. Terrebonne's project was one of ten selected for the $100,000 award.

The Conservatory, a 4,000-acre stormwater retention basin, is on property donated by Shell to Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government and is being designed in coordination with partners such as GIS Engineering and Dana Brown & Associates. Planned features include a nature walk, kayak launch, bike trail and boardwalk as well as overall improvement of the area ecosystem, wildlife habitat, and water quality through incorporation of green infrastructure elements. It includes the Bayou Cane pump station, which will assist the basin in capturing 1.7 billion gallons of water for temporary storage until it can be released in a controlled manner. The pump station construction began in July of this year.

This is another excellent project that protects the residents of Terrebonne parish against flooding as well as improving the quality-of-life aspect for our residents.

Cohen Guidry, TEDA Executive Director; Chris Pulaski, Director of Planning and Zoning; and GIS Engineering worked to submit the grant application that resulted in this $100,000 award. "This project is multifaceted. It will bring storm water flood protection, recreation, Healthy Eco system, wildlife habitat, tourism, and all-around quality of life features to Terrebonne Parish. We look forward to beginning the environmental impact study very soon," said Cohen Guidry. 

Additional Information

• Press Release