The city of New Orleans faces significant challenges due to its location and dependence on wetlands, particularly in the wake of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. The devastation caused by such events has heightened awareness of the importance of wetlands for protecting coastal regions. This awareness has led to increased focus on preserving and restoring the wetlands on the Gulf Coast, as wetlands serve as critical buffers against storm surges and flooding, and their loss exacerbates the risks associated with natural disasters. Therefore, the direct impact of catastrophic events, along with the recognition of the wetlands' ecological and economic significance, has driven efforts to prioritize their preservation and restoration.
The state of Louisiana, in the United States, relies heavily on wetlands, and is one of the regions of the country that has been most adversely affected by wetlands destruction. Southern Louisiana has some of the most extensive wetlands in the United States, containing approximately 40 percent of the country’s total wetlands area. This is because Louisiana is located at the drainage gateway where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. Much of the region’s economy and culture is built around the wetlands. However, Louisiana’s wetlands are quickly disappearing. Although the state has only 40 percent of the country’s wetlands, it also bears 80 percent of the country’s wetland losses. Every 38 minutes, the equivalent of a football field is lost. This has serious implications for the region’s wildlife and economy, as well as the ability of the region to withstand natural disasters. The Louisiana wetlands are home to a variety of animals, including alligators, snakes, turtles, coyotes, muskrats, armadillos, pelicans and egrets, among others. The wetlands are a crucial resource for many endangered species. In fact, more than one-third of the United States’ threatened and endangered species live only in wetlands, and more than one-half use the wetlands at some point in their lives for breeding, nesting or raising their young. Many species of migratory birds depend on the wetlands and would go extinct if the wetlands were destroyed.
4 Read the paragraph that begins, “The city of New Orleans, Louisiana…” Based on the information in this paragraph, what caused people to focus more on preserving and restoring the wetlands on the Gulf Coast?
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