Cynthia Pilcher
LSU Agricultural Center
P.O. Box 1199
Columbia, LA 71418
(318) 649-5802, (318) 649-2118 fax

Economic diversification through recreation and conservation are windows of opportunity for the economically depressed lower Mississippi River Delta of northeast Louisiana. Today’s rural landowners and rural communities are being pressed by declining profitability from traditional agricultural operations, expanding urban development, growing demands for recreational opportunities and fading rural economies. These circumstances test the traditional quality of life, the sustainability of rural communities and the natural resource base.

The primary mission of this initiative is to promote and facilitate economic diversification, environmental-resource sustainability and economic revitalization through alternative land use. Landowners and entrepreneurs learn the value of creative land use for tourism enterprises. Outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism, agri-tourism and heritage tourism can play a vital role in economic revitalization of this region.

Discover Northeast Louisiana Outdoors guides participants in developing and managing natural resource-based enterprises, fostering natural resource conservation, and providing means for urban access to rural quality of life amenities and lifestyles. Through increased civic engagement and community leadership, partnerships of land-grant universities and organizations for regional economic development and tourism have been established or enhanced.

As a result of this 12 parish initiative, a landowner association has been established, Delta Outdoors and Wildlife Association. Participants report better management practices, improved customer service, and enhanced marketing as a result of involvement in this project. Members of this organization played a vital role in the production of a video, color brochures and a trade show exhibit to publicize this economic development initiative.

PowerPoint Presentation (PDF format, 441 kb)