Jean Lafitte National Preserve is composed of a cluster of
wetlands (swamps) in Louisiana. In early 20th century policy these
wetlands were equated with wastelands in the eyes of policy makers
because they hinder economic development. To support off-shore oil
drilling many canals were built, and as a result, the salt water
from the ocean destroyed many wetlands. Since 1930 1,900 square miles of Louisiana’s
wetlands had been lost. This equates to the loss of 25 square miles of
swamps every year or a football field sized area every 30 minutes.
These wetlands could function as a bumper when a hurricane is
approaching, but in 2005 New Orleans faced a direct hit from Hurricane
Katrina when the first line of natural defense was weakened. The
photos in this page result from my artistic creativity and could not
be viewed as an accurate depiction of the wetlands.
