Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us because together we power life.

Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler Art Museum, located in Jennings City Hall.

The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana public Broadcasting and viewers like you.

Thank you.

Hi everyone.

I'm Christina Jensen.

And I'm Johnny Atkinson, and this week's episode of Summer.

Why?

We're focusing on the environment.

Louisiana's coast is disappearing in storms continue to take their toll.

But across the state, leaders and nonprofits are working to protect and restore the Bayou State's first line of defense.

Groups like the Osprey Initiative are working to keep Louisiana's waterways clean by removing thousands of pounds of trash before it reaches lakes, rivers and the Gulf.

Through innovative cleanup technology and local partnerships.

They're helping protect wildlife, improve water quality, and preserve the beauty of the state's coast.

Take a look.

Every piece of trash tells a story, a story about where it came from, how it got here and where it's headed next.

And if no one steps in.

Much of this waste doesn't stop here.

It moves downstream into rivers, wetlands, and eventually the Gulf.

That's where the Osprey Initiative comes in.

A company focused on stopping pollution before it becomes a much bigger problem.

Instead of chasing trash after it spreads.

They intercepted right here at the source.

I didn't do it to start a business, but we designed this concept to impact that stormwater litter, which is really what conveys a lot of our litter to our bigger water, is small stormwater drainages.

And that began and got some chicken wire and some pool noodles made.

The first litter getter was able to get one out at that site before it rained again.

I had 3 or 4 hampers of litter.

You know, at that time it was like, cool.

It got something.

And so that began the company that was in 2017.

Their solution is simple, low cost, low maintenance devices called litter getters, installed in drainage canals and waterways.

They work with the natural flow of water, quietly collecting trash before it can travel any farther.

The coolest thing about our company is our team members.

I mean, these are we have really.

Our work is dirty.

It's cold.

It can it could be 20 degrees out here today and we'd still be out in the water.

We don't stop.

And so the really neat us thing about I love helping people find their passions is really what motivates me.

Well, it looks like a fun time.

I want to get in the water.

Great.

And I'm going to turn it over to the experts.

I'm going to let you out.

Go see the guys.

Let's go.

For the first time today, I'm getting in the water to see this work up close.

It requires a more hands on approach navigating by canoe, pulling debris from places machines can't reach.

This is a lot of physical work.

Yeah, it could be, you know, lifting when you have debris, like heavy debris, like tires and stuff, it can can be pretty heavy work.

We use teamwork and use our crews and don't try to be the hero and lift stuff on your own.

But yeah, it could be.

You use your grabber.

There you go.

Why do you enjoy doing this?

I enjoy this for many reasons.

One is obviously the main reason of keeping my home state clean, no matter how it you know how you do it.

Just keeping it clean, whether it's in the waterway or on the side of the road.

You know, that's the first piece that's really important to me.

Another thing I enjoy about this is the opportunity to grow in different ways and better yourself in different ways.

As far as you know, you're with this company that cleans up litter.

Well.

Now we're figuring out ways.

We're trying to do data.

We're trying to tell stories of what we're picking up, not just picking it up just to be clean, but to tell the story of where all this is coming from.

Everything collected is tracked and measured, creating data that helps communities understand where pollution starts and how to prevent it.

That approach has taken Osprey from local cleanups to some of the biggest stages in the country, including the Super Bowl in New Orleans, high profile events, high impact solutions.

There's a passion there about Louisiana.

And, you know, we have industry.

We people, you know, our green spaces are so special.

And we got a lot of people.

And so it's just for people to understand, first of all, litter on land becomes litter in the water.

That's where it's come.

Nobody's coming to this lake in general.

And dumping all this litter.

It's coming from little pieces of litter on land that stormwater accumulates.

And water is our great collector.

For the Osprey Initiative.

This isn't just about removing trash.

It's about protecting waterways, empowering communities, and changing the way pollution is handled before it spreads.

Keeping Louisiana's waters cleaner one piece of trash at a time.

The fight to protect Louisiana's unique environment starts with education, and in Jefferson Parish, learning comes with swamp views, wildlife encounters and a close up look at one of the state's most important ecosystems.

I'm taking you inside the new Wetlands Education Center to see how the town of Jean, or Jean Lafitte, is working to inspire the next generation of coastal stewards.

Where can you go to learn about the Louisiana coast?

From the wetlands to the unique wildlife to the natural marsh, there's a brand new energy brewing in the heart of Jean Lafitte, and it's a hop, skip and a jump from New Orleans.

The grand opening of the Louisiana Wetlands Educational Center just launched in the small town of Jean Lafitte or Jean Lafitte.

So it's a genius.

Or if I say Jean Raffy.

Jean Lafitte new facility features unique exhibits helping people understand the wetland habitats, coastal protection, and the Cajun culture of Louisiana bayous.

This was an idea that had surfaced in 2012, and it was by our mayor, Tim Kerner, who had an inspiration, who wanted the nation, Louisiana in the world to know the importance of wetlands.

Yvette Crane has been working to put this new educational center together, focused on Louisiana's unique coastal environment.

She's also the mayor of Jean Lafitte.

You say Jean Lafitte, the town of Jean Lafitte.

And I've heard people say, Jean Lafitte.

Which is it?

I just think it should be said with the French pronunciation.

So when I'm doing this story, you think I should say Jean-Louis.

I think so.

Okay, I'll do it.

Exhibits inside the Jean Le Feed Center.

Show displays like hurricanes from 1 in 1985 to Ida, which devastated the area in 2021.

We're back on our feet.

We continue to work with agencies to provide levees and protection, and that's our goal.

Other exhibits explain the different native plants and the rocks and shells natural to the marsh.

You can even create levees and streams with your own hands, so you can.

Actually make the water flow through this small area like this.

How does that work?

It's just the kinetic sand that you can just move around and you can explore and design your levee or your area.

You can also make it rain.

Another exhibit shows how with careful planning, the marsh can be protected despite Louisiana's unpredictable weather.

Sometimes we want to stop where?

If this is water, we want to stop the water.

So you put barriers in this place to stop the water from intruding in these areas.

The value of an oyster reef in Louisiana is truly amazing.

They act as breakwaters, protecting the shorelines from erosion and improve the water quality.

A single Easter can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day.

Our fishing industry had a lot to do with the thought of this project.

It just lets everyone know how important the coast is for our for our livelihood here.

The biggest feature of the new facility is the incredible walkway going more than a mile through Louisiana marsh.

How much did it cost to build something like that?

Well, it was built with volunteers.

We had a lot of great people that came in and got dirty and just did what they had to do in order to make this beautiful path so that people can enjoy it for years and years to come.

The Barataria Basin is a massive 1.5 million acre estuary bordered by the Mississippi River, Bayou Lafourche, and the Gulf.

These around the areas provide access to the natural surroundings, to the swamps, with the marsh and the bayous that define Louisiana wildlife.

What a lot of people think of when they think of a swamp is they think of a canal.

They think of a kind of clear waterway.

But what a swamp truly is, is it's a semi-permanently flooded forest.

Visitors come from around Louisiana and the world to witness this natural marsh.

And we often come down to Lafayette.

It's 30 minutes from New Orleans.

We're taking pictures of birds, of alligators, the swamp.

What would you think if they wanted to tear all this down and just put up a parking lot?

I would say absolutely not.

I think that nature is really important for the world, and I think everyone should have a chance to enjoy it and look at it.

And I think that this preserve is really good for the community.

We got some money from the federal government to reconstruct our trails, to raise them up higher, to make them more resilient to rising sea levels and all of the hurricanes that we get inundated with.

Families and visitors of all ages come in to see for themselves.

What did you see?

How dare alligators!

What else.

Do you.

Two squirrels and.

Curly turtles tell me, what kind of review would you give this part?

Thumbs up.

Why is low information?

It's really cool.

Has lots of details about the IU, and.

We're really thrilled to be here in the town of Jean Lafitte.

Right now our park is going through a construction process.

Is it Gina Fate or Jean Lafitte?

Well, it depends on who you ask.

So everyone should set course for the basin.

Louisiana Wetlands Educational Center offers beautiful scenery and education for the kids.

We would like people to come in and enjoy this and enjoy swamp tour and spend the weekend with us.

It's the perfect place to witness real Louisiana nature.

All in the town of Jean Lafayette or Jean Lafitte, Louisiana.

Across the state tree zillions is planning more than trees.

The group is planting protection.

The program helps communities prepare for stronger storms and rising heat, one tree at a time.

Here's a look at how these roots are helping build a safer, greener Louisiana from the ground up.

Across Louisiana trees to more than shape the landscape, they protect communities, cool neighborhoods, and help shield coastlines from storms.

But as extreme weather and new development take their toll, the Tree Zillions program is stepping in working to restore those benefits.

The effort is bringing resilience back one tree at a time.

Right now, we're in Fairview Riverside State Park.

That's one of the two state parks that we've been working with as part of the program.

We also did a lot of work at Sam Houston Jones State Park in Lake Charles.

In addition to state parks, we're working with municipalities, parishes, nonprofits across the 22 parishes that are eligible on the southern side of the state.

We've gotten a lot of interest from communities across the state, and our hope is to expand the program statewide moving forward.

The Tree Zillions program is a national initiative helping communities grow and maintain healthy, resilient tree canopies, specifically in areas where trees have been lost or where green space can make the biggest difference.

The program combines several strategies tree planting, maintenance, and the removal of hazardous trees.

Along with community support and education.

Urban trees are really important.

I think they're more important than most people think.

They help to manage our stormwater.

They reduce flood impacts.

They reduce urban heat temperatures, sequester carbon, clean our water, our air, and then they're also just really good for your mental and physical health.

Each tree that is planted is carefully selected.

Native species chosen for their ability to survive local conditions, support wildlife, and provide long term benefits for program leaders successes and measured in how fast trees go into the ground, but how long they last.

We are planting at least 75% of the species put in the ground are native, so they have evolved ecologically in these habitats, which means that they're going to be really beneficial for our pollinators.

They're going to be resilient to our temperatures and climates that we have, and then we want trees that are going to be able to withstand what we have coming.

So we know that our storms are going to be more intense, more impactful, higher wind speeds.

They're going to linger over land longer.

And we need species like the southern live oak that is going to be able to do that.

In Mandeville.

The program is bringing new life to Fairview Riverside State Park.

This park was chosen for a reason.

Over time, Fairview Riverside has lost trees due to storm and erosion, and you can feel that loss.

It's not just about appearance, it's about how this space functions.

Much of the hands on work is being done by Golf Corps, a conservation workforce program that trains young adults while helping communities restore natural spaces.

So this particular project, we.

Are planting roughly 30 trees of a variety of Louisiana natives, and we're trying to reforest this park a little more, bring back the canopy cover so that there's nice shade, and then also it'll help restore biodiversity to the area.

In Louisiana, that investment is critical.

Across the state, trees has planted more than 7400 trees in areas hardest hit by the 2020 and 2021 hurricanes at Fairview Riverside alone, 111 native trees have been added over the past two years.

This park has lost.

A lot of its canopy over the last ten years or so, and probably over 400 trees have been lost in the last ten years.

How will the new trees help the park?

When you used to come into this park, it was it was like coming from the city to the forest immediately.

So this will help.

Just bring the trees in, you know, they'll grow up in the next 10 to 20 years, and they'll provide shelter for the RV cameras.

Beyond parks and green spaces, trees often focuses on neighborhoods where trees are scarce, areas more likely to experience extreme heat and flooding.

Funded by a USDA Forest Service grant, these plantings stretch across Louisiana from DeRidder and Lake Charles to Alexandria, Slidell, Madisonville, and New Orleans.

Once these trees mature, it will help shape the park in the surrounding community for decades.

It's an investment in the next generation.

Hurricane season is now here, as state leaders are urging people to prepare ahead of a storm.

New law passed in this year's legislative session more than doubled funding for Louisiana's fortified roofs program.

Some homeowners could receive up to $10,000 in grant money to build new, stronger, storm resistant roofs.

Since the program was launched in 2023, more than 4900 Louisiana homeowners have taken advantage of of this and have received grants and installed fortified roofs.

Governor Jeff Landrieu and Commissioner of Insurance Tim Temple signed a bill into law increasing funding for the state's fortified roofs program.

An additional $50 million, enough for about 5000 additional fortified roofs.

As a coastal state, Louisiana is vulnerable to hurricanes, making it more expensive for property insurers to do business.

We can't prevent hurricanes, but we can build smarter and we can build more resilient to better withstand hurricanes.

When homeowners put a fortified roof on their homes, and when a critical mass of those homes in a geographical area are all fortified.

Insurance rates.

Property insurance rates dropped.

In addition to the new funding, the state has expanded the program, opening up the grants to new parishes that are most affected by severe weather and Louisiana.

The hurricanes, the tornadoes and the strong winds can do major damage to the roofs of anyone's home.

To offset skyrocketing insurance premiums for homeowners, the state launched the Fortified Roofs program.

Eligible homeowners can receive $10,000 in grant money to help cover those costs.

When I became commissioner, we started we did a lottery system, and if you become an award, then you have to meet all those qualifications.

You get three bids from roofers.

You select that roofer and then once they put that roof on, the department sends the money to the roofing company.

But Tim Temple encourages residents to get the fortified roof regardless of government grants on average with the fortified roof.

Families are seeing a 22% reduction on the homeowner's insurance premium.

That savings can pay the extra cost for the fortified roof in just a few years.

It's going to cost more in the short term, but they are going to get that insurance discount in the long term on their wind deductible.

Richard Tilley is one of the owners of Parish Construction and Roofing, and explains the work they do when installing a fortified roof.

We're going to go all the way down to the decking, inspect the decking to make sure we don't have any rotten decking, warped decking, missing nail patterns or things of this nature, and therefore we can replace what's needed to get the foundation of the new roofing system to be installed.

And if there.

Is a problem with your roof, it's generally months before you know that, you know.

And so to to execute that part of, of the building process or the reroofing process and do it in a manner that that is top notch is important.

The fortified roof is installed differently from a standard roof, preventing the two biggest causes of roofing damage shingles blowing off and water intrusion.

Installation of the fortified roof is different.

First, installers create a sealed roof deck.

All plywood sheets are sealed with specialized four inch flashing tape.

It stops the water intrusion.

It's not gonna stop something from blowing off.

It's not going to stop some damage.

But for water getting in the home, which reduces the claim, which is the whole purpose of the fortified roof system.

Fortified roofs also have a tighter nailing pattern to prevent them from peeling away, and hurricane force winds, and using ring shank nails, which feature raised ridges along the shaft that grip the wood like a screw, doubling the roof decks.

Resistance to winds.

So in the past, when they when they did roofing, they didn't use the underlayment and they used these kind of nails.

What was the problem?

A lot of leaks would happen and a result in some repairs that would cost a lot of money, and it would cause a lot of damage to the homeowner in the house.

With a fortified roof.

Odds are that your shingles will stay on and the contents will stay dry, so any possible damage or loss will be smaller.

So that's a savings to the insurance companies.

They're passing that savings on to us as consumers through a reduction in premium.

Louisiana homeowners can apply for the $10,000 state grant towards that fortified roof.

If they meet rules of eligibility.

It must be an existing home that is a primary residence, and it must carry an active insurance policy.

Louisiana has over 13,000 fortified roofs.

And remember, Johnny, our programs 30 months old.

We are the fastest growing state in the nation for 4 to 5 roofs.

Louisiana is now transitioning to a new baseline standard, mandating roof replacements with fortified roofing standards.

Over in Alexandria.

A world class attraction brings in families from across the region.

Yeah.

That's right.

Conservation and education takes center stage at the Alexandria Zoo, one of only a few fully accredited zoos in the nation and highly regarded for its animal breeding programs.

LA 64 Karen LeBlanc takes us on a tour.

Hi, Karen.

Welcome.

Welcome to the Alexandria Zoo, where local action becomes global conservation.

We start our tour of the Alexandria Zoo and the land of the Jaguar.

The zoo showcase for South American wildlife, and the very first residents to greet me are the highest since McCall's.

These big blue South American parrots are breeding success stories here.

We shared our tips and tricks and hopefully that will help with continuing to breed these important conservation birds.

The Alexandria Zoo has spent more than a century building a collection of animals and habitats you cannot find anywhere else in the state.

Its wildlife credentials extend across the country as other zoos call for advice.

This jaguar is a very important animal at our zoo.

Only about 40 zoos housed jaguars in the country.

BB, though, is extra important.

And after 13 years, we finally had a baby in this last year and they were so genetically important because the genetics of this wild animal are nowhere else in the population.

So it was global news within the zoo world.

We had all the bigwigs in the zoo world calling us San Diego Zoo called me to congratulate us.

All right, Karen, we're heading into the Louisiana habitat.

It's actually my personal favorite area that we have.

I love the way it was designed, and I love showing people from out of state.

The local animals of Louisiana.

The zoo habitats mimic each animals life in the wild, designed around the animal's own choices and with all the creature comforts.

We want our animals to feel like they are in nature, that it's as natural as possible, but we also want to provide them with extra comforts like their night houses, their dens behind us that you can see one.

There's heating and air conditioner available to them.

There's fans, there's additional treats, additional enrichment inside for them so they can go inside.

Also, if they don't feel like being seen by the public, they can just go inside and not be looked at for that day in the zoo world.

In the zoological world, we call that choice and control.

The zoo is home to a number of African and American animals that thrive here, precisely because of Louisiana's heat.

You'll also meet plenty of locals, like the Bobcats, sharing the grounds with exotic species from around the world.

We have Chilean flamingos.

This is this is a this is a protected species, an important species along with.

And they're paired with Galapagos tortoises, which of course have made national headlines in the last year through the Philadelphia Zoo and their breeding program.

How old are the Galapagos?

These are about 40, 40 years old.

Yeah, they're on loan from a private collection.

But they'll they'll stay here for the rest of their lives.

Not far along is the snake House, home to an all native lineup that includes a striking eastern diamondback.

Landon's pitch for the snakes is the same as it is for everything else here.

Our advantage to teach people about why it's so important to conserve them, and why it's so important to protect them.

And you can really see how beautiful they are.

Oh, yeah.

Behind the scenes, the on site Animal hospital delivers state of the art health care inside the exam room.

A team can examine every animal on the property, and a surgery suite waits right next door.

We needed to provide emergency care.

We have an on site emergency operation room available to.

We have in here ability to do dentals.

We can do X-rays, ultrasounds, draw blood, give vaccines everything that you could possibly ever need for any of our animals on site.

As these animals have premium health care.

They do.

They do the best.

They have the best health care.

The Alexandria Zoo opened in 1920 and holds on to its playful spirit.

With a ten minute train ride around the zoo.

The Little Railroad has become a favorite with visitors of all ages.

We roll past animal habitats and we wave at the wildlife along the way.

It's the kind of simple joy that makes you feel like a kid again.

In a place where Louisiana punches well above its weight in global animal conservation.

You can check out our entire LA 64 episode about Rapids Parish at LPB four.

Here's a quick preview.

In this episode of LA 64, hit the road with me to explore Rapids Parish, the literal heart of Louisiana, where grand hotels whisper tales of generals and governors.

A sawmill town stands frozen in time.

Baby goats greet visitors on a country farm, and the piney woods still echo with the footsteps of soldiers who once trained for war.

Join me in central Louisiana, where every road leads somewhere in the state, and every stop reveals a little more of Louisiana's Soul Rapids parish sits in the geographic heart of Louisiana, where the Red River divides the twin cities of Alexandria and Pineville, and the landscapes shift from riverbanks to piney woods and farmland.

On this journey will crisscross repeats.

Parish.

Beginning in Alexandria, the parish seat, heading north across the Red River to Pineville.

Continuing northeast to Deville, then traveling south through the forest to Longleaf and Forest Hill, the nursery capital of the world.

Each stop reveals another layer of Central Louisiana's story.

That's our show for this week.

Remember, you can watch anything LPB anytime, wherever you are with our LPB app.

And you can catch LPB news and public affairs shows, as well as other Louisiana programs that you've come to enjoy over the years.

And please like us on Facebook and Instagram.

For everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting, I'm Christina Jensen.

And I'm Johnny Atkinson.

And until next time, that's the state we're in.

Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us because together we power life.

Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler Art Museum.

Located in Jennings City Hall, the museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana.

And by Mary Byrd Perkins Cancer Center.

Visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you.

Thank you.