Gulf Coast Grasslands
Grasslands are one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. They are often overlooked because they are naturally the best place for humans to settle. Their flat clear lands provide ample room for building cities and their deep rich soils provide the best agricultural land for our farms. Because of this their disappearance has gone mostly unnoticed. But grasslands were once common in all areas of the southeast. Grasslands occur as prairies, meadows, marshes, glades, fins, and savannahs (grasslands with sparse trees).
Grasses and herbaceous plants were once more common as the understory of mature hardwood forests and have disappeared as forests have been clear-cut and reset to their early secession phase where young trees grow thickly and don’t allow light to filter down to the understory. These grassland plants have always been an important part of our greater southeastern ecosystem and a part of most of the ecosystems within the southeast. The majority of the southeast’s ecosystems are grasslands or had significant grassland components to them.
The great longleaf pine savannahs that stretch from the east coast, down to Florida and across the gulf to Texas are the most dominant and far-reaching grassland of the southeast. These savannahs are characterized by an open canopy and a diverse understory of grasses and wildflowers that support unique and now vulnerable plant and animal species. Within and around the longleaf savannahs are various other types of pine and oak savannahs, prairies and wetlands.
Prairies are among the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. Their expansive grasslands not only provide habitat for wildlife but also offer ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, and water filtration. These services are particularly important for us as a coastal community, where the function and integrity of our land is essential for mitigating the impacts of coastal erosion, storm surge, and sea-level rise.
The Blackbelt Prairie and the Cajun Prairie are just a couple of the iconic prairies of the southeast. And in between the savannahs, woodlands and marshes of the southeast were numerous meadows and smaller prairies that time has forgotten.
Our farm is located on one of the Bayou Teche river scour grasslands called Prairie des Femme, a prairie that is in between the Cajun Prairie and the Atchafalaya Basin. If you look on a historic topographic map there may be a small named prairie near you. These prairies were mapped as early important resources for cattle grazing and hay production and then later, for urban development.
Marshes are characterized by their waterlogged soils and diverse vegetation of grasses, sedges, rushes, and other herbaceous plants adapted to wet and saturated conditions. These plants act as natural filters by trapping pollutants and sediments, which can include contaminants from urban and agricultural runoff, industrial activities, and wastewater discharges. This helps improve water quality and protect downstream ecosystems.
The dynamic habitats of these intertidal wetlands are what make us here in Louisiana the Sportsman’s Paradise. Our marshlands provide important feeding and breeding grounds for migratory birds, shellfish, and other marine species. Enthusiasts can find an abundance of sought-after game such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and waterfowl like ducks and geese. Anglers also flock to our waters for world-class fishing opportunities, targeting prized catches such as redfish, speckled trout, largemouth bass, and crappie.
Our coastal marshlands provide barrier island services by effectively mitigating the impacts of storms and erosion by offering flood control and shoreline stabilization. It is a known thing that Louisiana has lost about 1,900 square miles of its coast since 1932, primarily marshes. This is roughly the size of the state of Deleware. It is important that we fortify our wetlands to help prevent the projected loss of another 3,000 square miles over the next 50 years.