The State of Louisiana is best described as a place where the land meets the water. With the presence of the Mississippi River, its location on the Gulf of Mexico, an average rainfall amount of 60 inches per year, and land elevations near sea level, the landscape in Louisiana has, and continues to be influenced by water. In addition, Louisiana has other major rivers such as the Atchafalaya, Red, Ouachita, Pearl, and Sabine, which influence its landscape. The entire State is made up of a massive network of streams, bayous, rivers, swamps, estuaries, and coastal marshes. Over 40% of the nation’s wetlands and the seventh largest delta on earth are present in Louisiana. These types of ecosystems are of the most productive in the world, including many natural resources. Ecosystems in Louisiana are typically comprised of a diverse species of “native” plants and animals that favor wetter areas. Like no other, they have adapted to this unique environment. Land in Louisiana is usually located near a waterway, within a coastal region, or other low-lying area. The environmental conditions there often become unstable from increased storm water runoff and frequent flooding.
Managing these types of environmental conditions can be challenging. However, it turns out that many of the natural features including the native fauna and flora play an important role in managing storm water runoff and frequent flooding. They promote important functions such as retention, infiltration, filtration, recycling of nutrients, and removal of pollutants. Because of these unique interactions, Louisiana has maintained a quality environment, rich with natural resources and abundant with fisheries and wildlife. In a bigger picture, Louisiana plays a critical role in the hydrologic cycle and the cycle of nutrients within this part of the world. Significant alterations to this process could become costly and devastative to the environment.
Today, Louisiana has become faced new challenges of accommodating for its growing population and demands from society while maintaining a sustainable and quality environment. Increased demands for housing, workplaces, and transportation infrastructure have caused sharp rises in the amount of new development and construction. Accommodating this type of growth often changes the natural landscape and displaces nature with increased amounts of impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces do not allow water from rainfall, or other sources to infiltrate into the ground; additionally, they accumulate pollutants. This affects water quantity and water quality resulting a higher potential for flooding and water pollution. As we seek to maintain quality of life and a balanced environment, we should look how Mother Nature has managed it throughout time. Lately the scientific community and landscape architects has recognized the importance natural ecosystems play in the landscape and are taking steps to incorporate them into the new or existing developments. This approach is termed “low impact development” or “smart growth” when developments utilize nature, or simulate its natural processes to maintain a balanced and quality environment
When new areas in Louisiana come under development, developers become confronted with making decisions regarding landscape design. The local landscape ordinance or local landscape code is where the guidance comes from. Landscape ordinances dictate how the landscape should be designed, which may not recognize Louisiana’s need for managing high volumes of storm water runoff and flooding. Considering the overwhelming influence of water in Louisiana, landscape ordinances should emphasize best management practices and instructions for preserving natural features in the landscape, particularly the native fauna and flora.
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