Meraux Foundation and POCACITO Host International Coastal Workshop at Docville Farm
The Meraux Foundation and POCACITO cohosted the German-American Nature-Based Solutions Exchange (GANBASE) workshop at Docville Farm in St. Bernard Parish. The event focused on advancing nature-based solutions for coastal environments- innovative strategies that use natural systems to address challenges like flooding, erosion, and habitat loss.
This marks the second time the Meraux Foundation has hosted the GANBASE knowledge exchange at its Docville Farm campus, reaffirming its role as a hub for collaboration on environmental resilience.
The workshop brought together engineers, scientists, nonprofit leaders, and government officials from across the United States, Germany, and beyond. Presenters shared insights and case studies on coastal restoration, climate adaptation, and sustainable land and water management.
“The Meraux Foundation is proud to host global conversations that connect research and practice,” said Blaise Pezold, Coastal and Environmental Program Director for the Meraux Foundation. “By bringing together local and international experts, we’re advancing innovative, nature-based approaches to protect our coastlines and communities.”
The GANBASE program promotes transatlantic collaboration in nature-based solutions through research exchanges, field visits, and workshops held annually in both the U.S. and Germany.
“It has been inspiring to experience the unique interplay of water systems in coastal Louisiana - from the Gulf and the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain and the wetlands. We have been deeply impressed by how much dedicated volunteer work and community engagement can achieve in protecting both people and ecosystems. Working together toward a healthy co-existence between communities and their environment is worth every hour, and we’re grateful for the inspiring partnerships we’ve built with the organizations that received us," said Alicia Wach of Kiel University in Germany
“My experience with GANBASE has been invaluable, meeting researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders across borders, and turning those shared lessons into local action for Jamaica Bay. I’m grateful to the Arlene and Joseph Meraux Foundation for hosting and supporting this important exchange," said Elizabeth Stoehr, Deputy Director of the Jamaica Bay Parks Conservancy, Brooklyn, NY.
The project is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany, funded by the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
For more information about GANBASE and POCACITO, visit www.pocacito.org.