Deadline Nears For Louisiana Coastal Forest Conservation Program

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Landowners interested in selling property to help Louisiana and federal coastal forest conservation efforts have until Friday to apply for part of the $7.4 million available in the second round of applications.

Bren Haase, deputy chief of planning with the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, tells The Advocate the Coastal Forest Conservation Initiative's goal is to protect coastal forest areas not only for the habitat they provide but also for their ability to hamper storm surge from tropical storms.

The state accepted the first round of applications for the program in late 2010 and received 26 applications representing about 75,000 acres across the coast.

The initiative allows landowners to voluntarily either sell their land or sell a permanent conservation easement for coastal forest properties in Louisiana.