LAFAYETTE, La. — The 7th annual Save the Basin fundraiser kicked off at Artmosphere in Downtown Lafayette.
This event had live music, raffles, and even a silent art auction. All proceeds go towards directly supporting, protecting, and preserving the Atchafalaya Basin.
"So many people have businesses, artists, and Artmosphere has donated their time and energy and their efforts to put this on, all with the heart of the basin," said Monica Fisher, Development Director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper.
The basin is the largest wetland and swamp in the United States, and plays an important economic role in Louisiana, with the basin directly providing jobs to many in the fishing and crawfish industry. The basin itself, produces over 22 million pounds of crawfish annually, according to the Atchafalaya Basin Heritage Area website.
Volunteer Basinkeeper Angelle Bradford is grateful that fundraisers like Save the Basin, can show how community efforts can make an impact on the basin.
"We have a lot of fights and attacks coming up on the basin and as a volunteer, I recognized the importance and the intersection of the environment and how it impacts people," said Bradford. "It impacts access to jobs and resources and I just think our state, and our country, and of course our basin, is in a really tough spot with the climate crises so groups like the Basinkeepers give us hope to what's possible."
Captain Dean Wilson who is Executive Director of the Atchafalaya Basinkeepers, is passionate about how important preserving the ecosystem of the basin is vital to both Louisiana and our Earth.
"The Atchafalaya Basin is very important for Louisiana in so many ways, and the nation and the planet. You know most of the tropical birds that come from the tropics to North America come through the delta," said Wilson. "The Atchafalaya Basin has the largest wetland forest in North America and the most productive wetlands in the entire world."
If you would like to donate to the Basinkeepers efforts, you can do so on the Atchafalaya Basinkeepers website by clicking here.
