DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE, La. (KATC) — The Atchafalaya Basinkeeper will host its monthly Acadiana meeting on June 15, featuring a presentation by environmental scientist and Vermilion Parish native Dr. Gracie Babineaux.
Babineaux’s presentation, titled “Where the Water Meets the Road: The Formation of the Atchafalaya Basin and How it Protects Our Communities,” will explore the geological development of the Atchafalaya Basin and its critical role in protecting communities across south Louisiana.
A musician with the Babineaux Sisters Band and a scientist dedicated to coastal and environmental issues, Babineaux combines her artistic and academic backgrounds to promote, protect and prioritize Louisiana’s landscapes and the unique cultures they sustain.
Babineaux recently earned her doctorate through the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Earth and Energy Sciences program. She is beginning her tenure as a Science Policy Fellow with the National Academies Gulf Research Program, where she will work with Louisiana-based organizations to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the state’s coast and waterways.
The presentation comes at a time when the Atchafalaya Basin’s role in regional resilience is increasingly important. According to Dean Wilson, Executive Director of the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, the Basin serves as a natural buffer against flooding — helping protect homes, businesses and infrastructure throughout Acadiana and beyond. It also supports commercial industries, preserves property values and safeguards public access to the region’s abundant natural resources.
Organizers say the meeting will provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about the Basin’s environmental, economic and cultural significance and how its continued protection benefits communities throughout the region.
The event is open to the public and is held in at Cavalier House Books in downtown Lafayette from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. June 15. To learn more about the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, click here.
