Analyzing Adaptation Plans

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This is Part 4 of Lesson 6 of Project Resilience curriculum. Students will understand the environmental threats for Terrebonne Parish and investigate the effectiveness of the proposed LA SAFE adaptation plan.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will evaluate proposed LA SAFE adaptation projects to determine which will have the most impact on community resilience.
  • Students will learn about the environmental threats facing Terrebonne Parish, and which areas are most at risk.

Materials

Preparation

  • Make copies of the Terrebonne LA SAFE Student Sheet, CPRA Terrebonne Parish Fact Sheet, Terrebonne LA SAFE Proposal Summary, and the Terrebonne Project Boards.One copy for each group.
    • Use legal size paper for the Terrebonne Project Boards.

Directions

  1. Pass out the CPRA Terrebonne Parish Fact Sheet. Review the impacts of coastal land loss on Terrebonne Parish. Pose the following questions for students to consider as they read (Slide 79): Why has Terrebonne parish lost such a large amount of land? What are the largest environmental threats in the parish?
    • The Terrebonne Basin has one of the highest land loss rates in the state of Louisiana due to high subsidence rates, sea level rise, and saltwater intrusion.
  2. Explain how coastal communities in Terrebonne Parish have already begun adapting to an increase in flood risk due to land loss within the parish. Explain that many of these adaptations are on an individual level, and a long term adaptation plan for the parish is needed. Remind students of the goal of LA SAFE and the LA SAFE process.
    • Individuals in a high-risk flood area may elevate their homes to prevent flooding (Slide 80).
  3. Break students into groups. Pass out the Terrebonne LA SAFE Proposal Summary. Introduce the students to the six proposed projects in the Terrebonne LA SAFE Proposal Summary. Explain how these proposed projects would help the communities in the parish become more resilient. Give each group a copy of the Terrebonne Project Boards and the Terrebonne LA SAFE Student Sheet. While reviewing the proposals, students will use the student sheet to evaluate the projects.
  4. Have students complete Part 1 of the student sheet. Part 1 will allow students to analyze each proposed project. Once they have completed Part 1, students can move to Part 2 and begin rating the proposals. Remind groups that they will need to be able to explain their reasoning behind their ratings.
  5. Once all of the groups have rated the proposals, ask each group what their top proposal was and why that proposal was chosen. What environmental problem or threat does this proposal face? Would this proposal work as a long term adaptation plan? Will this proposal need any maintenance or monitoring down the road? Who will specifically be impacted by this proposal? How would your top-ranked proposal make the communities within the parish more resilient? (Slide 81)
  6. Have the students shift now to thinking about their school. Explain to students that just as LA SAFE worked to develop resilience projects for coastal communities, they will develop a resilience plan for their school community. What parts of the LA SAFE process may help develop your school's resilience plan? Direct students to look back at their LA SAFE Adaptation Student Sheet from Part 2. Would you be able to use these same questions to help develop your school's plan?
    • As LA SAFE developed community adaptation plans, they held both large parish meetings and small community discussions to understand the residents' concerns. Each new meeting introduced the work LA SAFE had completed and asked for residents' input to ensure the creation of a beneficial adaptation plan for the community.
  7. Explain that students will first need to identify environmental problems affecting their school community. What types of environmental problems affect your school? Are there any areas on campus that flood frequently? Have the students begin a list of environmental threats (including long term) that may have an impact on their school. Many of these environmental threats should come from their list of environmental problems from Lesson 4 Part 1. Write these problems on a board at the front of the room. This list will be used in the following activities.
    • Examples of environmental threats affecting your school could include an increase in campus flooding due to erosion, subsidence, or heavy rainfall.
    • Ask students if there are any problems that were mentioned by school community members that should be included in the list. Students should discuss the possible environmental threats behind these campus problems and include these threats on the list at the front of the room.

Assign Journal Prompt #15.

  • Prompt #15: Looking at today's LA SAFE pilot proposals for Terrebonne Parish, your group may have compromised while rating the proposals. Which proposal do you consider the most important or the most effective? What community problem(s) does this proposal address? Describe if this proposal represents a long term or short term adaptation plan. List five points below to support your chosen proposal.
 

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Background

LA SAFE- Louisiana's Strategic Adaptations for Future Environments (about the Terrebonne adaptation plan)

Information below from LA SAFE: Regional & Parish Adaptation Strategies

  • Goals:
    • To generate parish-wide, community-driven adaptation plans focused on opportunities for residents and stakeholders to proactively adapt and prepare for anticipated environmental changes over the next 10, 25, and 50 years.
    • To implement a catalytic project in each of the six parishes that demonstrates adaptive development practices that conform to current and future flood risks. Furthermore, LA SAFE is intended to identify and support the development of resilience-building projects and practices that can serve as models for the entire region.
    • To create a statewide adaptation model that enhances long-term sustainability and resiliency for all Louisiana parishes.

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Credits

This activity was developed for Project Resilience, funded by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.