Rabbit Island

Shoreline Structure Protects Rabbit Island’s
Bird Habitat and Creates Oyster Reef

The Louisiana Trustees have created a multifaceted restoration project benefitting both bird and oyster habitat within Calcasieu Lake in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The recent addition of shoreline protection structures to the Rabbit Island Restoration Project has made a great project even better. To achieve this success, two local stakeholders, The Nature Conservancy and Cheniere Energy, LLC, joined forces with the Trustees.

shoreline protection

In late December 2023, the Trustees completed the installation of 810 large wire mesh baskets filled with limestone rock along the northeastern edge of Rabbit Island. These 3,000-pound gabion baskets now form a protective barrier that is intended to limit the impacts of erosion and storm surge and create a wall-like structure behind which silt can collect, and vegetation can become established. The baskets of limestone rock will provide a proven substrate for oyster larvae, or spat, to attach to. Additional benefits arising from the installation of this very simple but substantial structure are likely to lead to the creation of marsh habitat for fish, birds, shellfish, marine mammals, and other wildlife, as well as expanded recreational fishing opportunities for the public. Once the marsh habitat behind the gabions is well established, it will, along with the filter-feeding oysters, help to improve water quality.  

The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a nationwide environmental non-profit, provided invaluable support to the addition of the gabions to the Rabbit Island Restoration project through in-kind services and advice. TNC has years of expertise in oyster reef restoration, and provided the project team with advice on gabion basket design, material costing, and installation on Calcasieu Lake. This project is expected to generate direct benefits for the state’s Tier 1 public oyster reef located around significant portions of the island. Tier 1 oyster areas are the most ecologically sensitive, publicly owned, highly productive, and have little or no oil and gas activity.  

Cheniere Energy, LLC has partnered with the Coastal Conservation Association’s national habitat program to invest in Louisiana’s newest Artificial Reef Program in Cameron Parish. For this project, Chenier provided $120,000 through the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation for the materials to build the gabion baskets.  

For more information contact:  Jon Wiebe, Biologist Program Manager; jwiebe@wlf.la.gov; (337) 735-8662.