SAT-A03: Ecological Citizens: Bottom-Up Climate Leadership in Southeast Louisiana

Saturday, October 11, 2025

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM CT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Speaker(s)

Andrew M. Wright, ASLA, PLA

Associate
SCAPE Landscape Architecture DPC
New Orleans, Louisiana
Cheryl R. Austin

Executive Director/Community Advocate
Greater Treme Consortium Inc
New Orleans, Louisiana
MB

Michael Biros

Restoration Programs Director
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana

As federal climate leadership collapses, grassroots climate action has become more critical than ever. In this session, hear how two New Orleans-based organizations are empowering communities to build a more resilient southeast Louisiana, and explore how landscape architects can support grassroots climate action in their own communities.

Learning Outcomes:

Learn how two New Orleans-based community organizations are driving change and contributing to climate leadership in southeast Louisiana.
Learn about the land loss crisis in southeast Louisiana, its causes, and the steps communities are taking to mitigate future land loss and erosion.
Learn about the New Orleans drainage system, urban flooding in New Orleans, and community-led initiatives to mitigate flooding through green infrastructure.
Explore models for how landscape architects can support and foster bottom-up climate leadership in their work.