1. Vulnerability and Resilience: Case of Plaquemines Parish Payton Wilkins, Stephawn Spears, Dahria Crokett Bridging the Gap Between Climate Change Theory & Experience April 4, 2013

2. Defining Resilience  “Resilience is the capacity of a community exposed to hazard to adapt, by resisting or changing, in order to reach and maintain an acceptable level of functioning and structure.” Source: Cutter, et al, CARRI Research Report 1 (2008)

3. Why Plaquemines Parish?  Coastal community exposed to sea level rise and flood hazards  Highly vulnerable population comprised of segregated communities, low-income residents, and a nature-based economy.  Their resiliency is in question.

5. Demographics of Plaquemines Parish  Total Population 23,042  African American Population 4,715  Economy based on Seafood and Citrus  16.8% Bachelors degree or higher  Almost 20% of population fall  Per capita income $25,015  9.5% live below poverty level

6. Recent Disasters and Extreme Events  Hurricane Katrina  Hurricane Rita  Hurricane Gustav  Hurricane Ike  Hurricane Isaac  BP Oil Spill  MS River Flood of 2011

7. Development Issues  Only portions of parish are protected by levees.  Inoperable ferry service due to lack of recovery from last disaster.  High rate of land subsidence throughout the parish.  Presence of polluting facilities (oil, gas, toxic chemicals).

8. Oil & Gas and Navigation Industries  Coastal erosion, loss of wildlife, and loss of buffer zone. o Decades of dredging, drilling, and building dams and canals.

9. Impacts of the Oil Spill  Plaquemines Parish economy depends on fishing industry and it’s residents depend on seafood as their major food source.  The number of Plaquemines residents with commercial fishing licenses has dropped 36 percent since 2004, the last full year before Katrina hit, according to the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website.  People felt their livelihoods were in danger and their futures were imperiled.

10. Impacts of the Hurricanes  Destroyed levees.  Displaced thousands of people.  Damaged homes and businesses and boats.  Damaged the roads and the ports.  Mental health impacts on all population groups.

11. “We are a dying community, but we are not dead.” Reverend Michael Jiles 2013