Protecting the Mississippi River Delta

The islands, estuaries, and wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta provide habitat to migratory birds, economically important finfish and shellfish, and endangered or threatened animals such as the Louisiana black bear. The coastal zone is also home to nearly two million people and critical industries that help feed and power the nation.

Unfortunately, the Mississippi River Delta is experiencing the highest rate of land loss in the United States.

Outlying communities are being submerged and wildlife habitat is shrinking. Stronger hurricanes and rising seas threaten family-supporting jobs and the integrity of coastal ecosystems.

The good news is that the river delta can be renewed and sustained if we restore the land-building power of the Mississippi River in a controlled way within the next 10 years.

Our Work to Restore the Delta

The National Wildlife Federation is partnering with Environmental Defense Fund and National Audubon Society for the Restore the Mississippi River Delta campaign to move projects in the Mississippi River Delta from plan to action.

Our overall objective is to ensure that river delta is safe and sustainable for people and wildlife. To do this, the National Wildlife Federation and its partners are working to:

• Expedite the design and implementation of large-scale initiatives that restore the Mississippi River’s natural capacity to build land
• Ensure the safety of communities and businesses in the river delta by advocating for hurricane protection that includes coastal restoration and non-structural measures
• Create sustained national and state funding and political will to move restoration from plan to action