Case Study: Louisiana improves coastal conservation planning and economic resilience with IMPLAN

Louisiana protects 8,801–12,234 jobs with IMPLAN

The state of Louisiana faced a severe and accelerating coastal land loss crisis, threatening its economic stability, critical infrastructure, and natural storm defenses. To prioritize conservation efforts, the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) needed a data-driven method to quantify the potential economic impact of land loss and storm damage. They turned to IMPLAN and its economic impact modeling service to translate this environmental challenge into concrete financial terms.

Using IMPLAN, researchers from Louisiana State University and the RAND Corporation built a model to correlate predicted land loss with its economic consequences. The IMPLAN analysis provided the CPRA with critical data on jobs, business revenue, and infrastructure replacement costs at risk, demonstrating the immense value of conservation. This data was instrumental in updating the state's Coastal Master Plan, securing unanimous legislative approval for restoration funding, and guiding investments that have since built over 1,000 acres of marsh and restored 32 miles of shoreline.

Louisiana