Grant Project Summary:
University of New Orleans, Pontchatrain Institute for Environmental
Science
Establishment of the Louisiana Digital Information System
September 2003 to August 2008
Project Summary
NOAA awarded a grant to the University of New Orleans (UNO) Pontchatrain Institute for Environmental Sciences for the development of a repository of
digital information for the Pearl River Basin area of coastal Louisiana and Mississippi in an effort to support and manage the rapid growth and environmental
protection of these areas. The project established a Web accessible digital repository of coastal information consisting of various data products (i.e.,
shapefiles, maps, remote sensed images, tabulated text, etc.). The final products were made available to various governmental agencies, and both the private
and general public venues to support a wide-range of coastal analysis activities (i.e., coastal restoration and management, beach erosion, land usage,
population changes, agricultural density, urbanization studies, etc.).
NOAA Coastal Services Center's Role
The NOAA Coastal Services Center provided oversight and guidance to the Louisiana/Mississippi digital coast initiative. The Center provided the project
teams with remotely sensed coastal data.
Grantee Overview
The University
of New Orleans (UNO) Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Sciences,
New Orleans, is a partnership of scientists and educators combining
rigorous scientific analysis with education, outreach, and planning
to develop practical solutions to the environmental challenges found
in the Pontchartrain Basin, the Gulf of Mexico, and similar coastal
ecosystems in the U.S. and throughout the world. In 2001, the Louisiana
Board of Regents approved the establishment of the UNO Pontchartrain
Institute for Environmental Sciences. The Pontchartrain Institute for
Environmental Sciences is designed to foster interactions among professionals
with expertise in basic and applied environmental research, including
those skilled in environmental management, social sciences, and planning.
This Institute will work with academic institutions, government agencies,
and environmental organizations to provide information critical to preserve
and restore the environmental quality of the Pontchartrain Basin. The
Institute will bring together the technical expertise and understanding
needed to address issues such as water quality, critical habitats, biodiversity,
and coastal restoration strategies. The core UNO departments from the
College of Sciences that make up the Pontchartrain Institute include:
Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Geology and Geophysics.
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