The Wetlands Discovery Center will host the 2017 Wetlands Youth Summit on Saturday, September 9, 2017 from 9:30AM to 2PM at the North Branch Library located at 4130 W Park Ave, Gray, LA 70359.  

The Wetlands Youth Summit aims to bring young leaders together to discuss the various challenges and potential solutions for gulf coast communities. This program is supported by proceeds from the Rougarou Fest and a grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation.  Participation is free for any high school or college student in the region.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all participants during the summit.

The focus of the 2017 summit will be on Relative Sea Level Rise and Coastal Communities.  Workshops will be led by Dr. James Pahl, a senior Coastal Resources Scientist for Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and by the Gulf of Mexico Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) team from BHP, a leading global resources company whose main priority is sustainability: putting health and safety first, being environmentally responsible, and supporting our communities. 

“This summit is an excellent example of Louisiana’s next generation taking proactive steps to manage their future by understanding the factors affecting coastal land loss and the future of our coast.  Events like the Youth Summit and organizations like the South Louisiana Wetland Discovery Center are vital to our efforts.” - James Pahl, CPRA

Participants will learn from their peers throughout the day and will take part in an action planning session to address a challenge that is identified as a result of the summit. These action plans will then be implemented throughout the 2017-2018 school year.

“The Wetlands Youth Summit is one of our programs that has the most impact on our community.  Students from previous summits have organized bayou clean up programs and presented CWPPRA projects for federal funding consideration.  I’m really looking forward to seeing what the students develop this year!” – Jonathan Foret, Wetlands Discovery Center

High school and college students are invited to attend. Registration forms must be submitted by September 8, 2017.  Please call 985-­580-­7289, email shicks@slwdc.org or visit our website at www.slwdc.org/wys for registration information.