Field Session

MON-FS-06: Sankofa Wetland Park and Nature Trail: Ecological Restoration and Community Resilience

Field Session Leader(s)

• 

  Rashida Ferdinand

  CEO & Founder
  Sankofa CDC
  New Orleans, Louisiana
• 

  Russell Clark, ASLA

  Landscape Architect & Community Planner
  National Park Service - Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance
  Bowling Green, Kentucky

Field Session Presenter(s)

• RL

  Robert R. Lange, PhD

  Chief Operating Officer
  Comite Resources
  Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Sankofa Wetland Park and Nature Trail, courtesy Russell Clark, National Park Service

Sankofa Wetland Park and Nature Trail is a testament to ecological restoration, climate resilience, and community-driven revitalization. This field session explores how 40 acres of neglected urban land was transformed into a thriving wetland park that enhances flood mitigation, fosters biodiversity, and reconnects residents to their natural and cultural heritage.

Includes transportation.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify strategies for integrating ecological restoration and resilience in urban landscapes.
• Understand how community-driven planning fosters long-term sustainability and equity in public projects.
• Learn about the role of green infrastructure in stormwater management and flood mitigation.
• Explore how landscape architecture can contribute to disaster recovery and community rebuilding efforts.