[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21474]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING WETLAND RESOURCES, LLC

 Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, restoring, protecting, and 
preserving our vulnerable coastal habitats remain among the most 
important priorities for those of us in Louisiana. Coastal erosion has 
reduced our Nation's largest marsh by more than 2,000 square miles 
since 1930. We need to work toward effective solutions combating 
coastal erosion because it affects our homes, businesses, and daily 
lives. That is why I would like to recognize Wetland Resources, LLC, of 
Tickfaw, LA, as Small Business of the Week.
  The threat of natural disaster will always remain for those of us 
living in Louisiana, and it is well known that coastal restoration goes 
hand-in-hand with storm protection. In the 10 years since Hurricane 
Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of New Orleans and displaced 
thousands across the country, we as a State have made great strides to 
protect our homes and communities, and our future is brighter than 
ever. But we are not done yet.
  Husband and wife team Gary Shaffer and Demetra Kandelepas of Wetland 
Resources have stepped up to play a major role in coastal restoration 
and in 2009 began devising a way to rebuild and protect our coastline. 
Shaffer, a biology professor at Southeastern Louisiana University in 
Hammond, LA, and Kandelepas, an ecologist with a doctorate degree, have 
been growing hurricane-resistant plants, such as cypress and tupelo 
trees, along Louisiana's receding coast. This creates a natural barrier 
of healthy flora more likely to sustain vulnerable coastal habitats 
during strong storms. In order to reinvigorate the vegetation along 
Louisiana's coastline, Wetland Resources targets areas that are filled 
with treated sewerage and wastewater from nearby cities. These areas 
are nutrient rich and serve as ideal incubators for newly planted 
cypress and tupelo trees. These species of trees can live for hundreds 
of years, and their root systems grow laterally, which connect with 
adjacent trees to create an effective barrier from storm surges and 
gale force winds.
  Today, Shaffer and Kandelepas are developing new ways to plant and 
protect their seeds. In addition to their most recent development, a 
biodegradable protective casing for their seedlings that allows 4,000 
trees to be planted each day, Wetland Resources, LLC, has received 
numerous awards.
  Congratulations to Wetlands Resources, LLC, of Tickfaw, LA, this 
week's Small Business of the Week. I look forward to seeing the ongoing 
impact of your innovative ideas in restoring our coastline and 
protecting our families and homes.

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