Statement from The Nature Conservancy on Hurricane Katrina and Relief Efforts - Conservancy's Southern U.S. Regional Program to Activate Emergency Response Team

 

 

(Note: It appears that, while worded carefully, the main thrust of this statement is to make clear that TNC employees and offices are fine and that, as soon as possible, TNC will "...monitor the impacts to the land and water environments affected by this event, and determine what can be done to restore these natural resources."

 

 

September 1, 2005

 

 

Arlington, Virginia - On August, 29, 2005, after slamming into Florida four days prior, Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Our hearts go out to those who have suffered unimaginable loss and displacement during this time.

“You simply cannot imagine the scale of damage and flooding,” says Keith Ouchley, director of the Conservancy’s Louisiana chapter. “Eighty percent of New Orleans is flooded. In many places the water is 10 to 12 feet deep and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses are completely inundated. Estimates are that there are still over 20,000 people trapped on the roofs of their homes and in trees surrounded by the flood water.”

Despite the tremendous loss, The Nature Conservancy is thankful and fortunate that, as far as we know, none of our staff in the region have suffered any significant injury and our offices in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, though damaged, remain intact.

The Nature Conservancy stands ready to assist our local offices and the community.

Our Southern U.S. Region program has activated an Emergency Response Team that will provide assistance to The Nature Conservancy’s programs in need.

The team will coordinate resources, once we have a better idea how best to aid recovery efforts in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), The American Red Cross, National Guard and local agencies.

While current attention is rightfully focused on the immediate human toll and suffering of this tragedy, the ecological damage has yet to be assessed, and we know it will be tremendous.

As best we can, the Conservancy will monitor the impacts to the land and water environments affected by this event, and determine what can be done to restore these natural resources. In the meantime, our thoughts and hopes continue to go out to those in need.

How You Can Help - Those wishing to directly support local recovery efforts may do so by contacting The American Red Cross.