ENVIRONMENTAL

CONCERNS

• Lafayette does not have enough public-access greenspace, and this may be a perfect opportunity to remedy the situation.
• Flooding of the Horse Farm property itself and the effect of increased run-off on the neighborhoods near Coulee Mine.
• Many different types of wildlife inhabit the area. Development of the property would destroy their habitat and force them into the adjacent neighborhoods, which may cause problems with the residents.

GOALS ACCOMPLISHED

• Registered 16 live oaks located within the first 40 acres of the property in the Live Oak Society. (This organization was founded in 1934 by Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, the first president of the Univerisity of Louisiana at Lafayette, then Southwestern Louisiana Institute. Membership in the Live Oak Society is comprised entirely of live oaks at least 100 years old. Each tree has an "attorney" or sponsor to act as its guardian.)
• Obtained flood maps for the area. Much of the land along Coulee Mine is located in a 100-year flood zone. Development of the property will affect flooding: urban flooding occurs when significant rain falls in a highly developed urban and suburban area that is not able to absorb the rainfall. Development of a land area can increase runoff to 600% of what would occur naturally in its absence.

CURRENT GOALS

• To get input from national organizations, such as the Nature Conservancy and the Kellogg Foundation.
• To get input from local organizations, such as Trees Acadiana.
• To obtain an ecosystem/habitat to determine if there are any unique, threatened or endangered species on the property whose habitat could be preserved by law.
• To obtain wetlands designations from the property assessors.
• To determine the ratio of greenspace acreage per capita of Lafayette and the ratios of admired progressive cities in the country.
• If you would like to get involved or have questions, please contact Elizabeth "E.B." Brooks at eb_98@hotmail.com or (337)781-9766.