Wetlands Clean-Up: Working With Nature, For Nature
Release Date: August 15, 2007
Release Number: 1604-584
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BILOXI, Miss. -- Exotic creatures like the Florida Manatee, Gulf Sturgeon, American Alligator, Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle, Yellow-blotched Map Turtle, Bald Eagle, and Brown Pelican call this damp, mysterious place home. The wetlands comprise approximately 72,000 acres of Mississippi's 48,000-plus square miles, according to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR). The state agency is working with federal counterparts to restore portions of the wetlands that are suffocating under debris left by Hurricane Katrina.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) leads an inter-agency effort with the U.S. Coast Guard which manages and monitors the marine debris removal program. Debris clean-up in a marsh area adjacent to the St. Louis Bay in Harrison County is tentatively scheduled to begin in about a month. As far as Jeff Clark is concerned, there's not a second to lose.
"I wish it would move a little faster but I understand everyone has their hurdles to jump," said Clark, director of the Coastal Preserves Program for MDMR. He was trained as a biologist and feels duty-bound to maintain the wetlands and keep them "as natural as possible, so people can hunt, fish, nature walk."
Three to five feet deep in some areas, the debris consists of various household items refrigerator coolers, plastic goods, televisions, computers, furniture and covers the vegetation underneath. It appears as though Katrina picked up a thousand homes and emptied their contents into the alligators' backyard.
"We're hoping it'll come back on its own but it may not. Everything that's in a home propane tanks, cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, rat poison will release into the water and could seriously impact the area," said Clark. "That's why time is critical."
Roughly 680 acres of wetlands are inundated with 38,000 cubic yards of debris but the initial effort will focus on an eight-acre debris field in Harrison County. "We have to be careful in the process; we don't want to do more harm than good. If we leave it [debris], the marsh will die but if we take it out it may recover after a few years," said Clark.
The implications are clear and far-reaching. Birds following their usual migratory pattern on the Mississippi Flyway may have to find new homes. The habitat of some native species like the Gulf Sturgeon could be threatened. If the items aren't removed, it could permanently kill the marsh.
Meanwhile, other dangers threaten the delicate balance of the area. The hurricane and subsequent drought have caused 70 to 90 percent mortality of the native trees in some areas. These areas are now being invaded by the non-native Popcorn tree, also known as Chinese tallow tree. The rampant growth of the Popcorn trees holds dire ramifications for the local wildlife.
"What used to be a maritime forest with native species like pines, live oak and shrubs is dying out and what's coming back is the Popcorn tree," said Clark. "Native wildlife are adapted to native plants. In these areas, Popcorn trees provide very little food for wildlife."
Clark believes trees and shrubs could potentially grow over the debris as the wood decomposes but the new vegetation will be weak due to unstable and unsupportive root structure. The past 24 months may have an irreversible effect on the native species. But he is optimistic. "The sooner we can get the debris out, the sooner we can bring back the native species," said Clark. "We want to replant, replenish and restore."
To get into the debris-filled areas without creating more damage, teams will use trucks similar to those used in the logging industry traveling on existing logging roads. Air boats will be used to reach scattered debris in the marsh, and then ferry the debris back to the staging areas. Hand crews will be used to the maximum extent possible to collect scattered debris and minimize marsh impacts.
A marsh buggy will be one of the workhorses of the operation.
"The buggy can drive on the debris and not the marsh. It helps spread the weight and doesn't do as much damage," said Clark. The buggies can hold about 50 cubic yards of debris in one trip.
Clark and his team at the MDMR are working on restoration plans, but they know the final outcome is ultimately up to nature. "When the debris is removed, the native species may come back," said Clark. "Or we may have to replant. It'll just vary from site to site."
MDMR has worked with 'Renew Our Rivers,' a program sponsored by Mississippi Power that gathered employees and volunteers to clean up Deer Island in Mississippi Sound and the Pascagoula River in Jackson County. "We had three different volunteer groups go out to Deer Island and remove nearly 30 tons of debris," said Clark.
Before the storm, a local school contacted Clark's office because they wanted to teach outdoor classes with the marshland providing the perfect backdrop. Clark wants to get the area cleaned soon so teachers can bring their students for nature walks.
"FEMA, through the counties, has cleaned up the coastal reserve areas in Hancock County," said Clark. "Hopefully it'll come back. It may not be the same as it was before but hopefully it can be a habitat for wild life and a nursery for fishes again."
FEMA obligated about $237 million to help clean the Mississippi's coastal and inland waterways after Hurricane Katrina. The U.S. Coast Guard has cleared more than 135,688 cubic yards of marine debris from the water since marine cleanup began May 2006.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 15-Aug-2007 15:47:49