Bayou Greenbelt, the project that will create a 23-mile loop of blue and green trails around the Lake Area, will be featured on public radio KRVS on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

Dr. Philip de Mahy interviewed Jon Mann, Bayou Greenbelt volunteer, and Helen Siewers, National Park Services, at the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana Tuesday.

de Mahy interviews cutting edge researchers to civic leaders to everyday people who can offer insight into the unique challenges and opportunities that shape this region for his show, “Bayou Politique.”

“The hope is that talking about something like this is going to be helpful, inspirational and informative,” he said, pointing out that Lafayette is working on a bike loop.

For residents here in Southwest Louisiana, knowing more about the project paints a positive picture of things to come.

Bayou Greenbelt is the 11th catalytic project in the Just Imagine SWLA 50-year Resilience Plan, and will connect Contraband Bayou, Kayouche Coulee, the Calcasieu River and English Bayou, making it possible to paddle around the Lake Area.

Mann can’t say when the project will be complete, but he likes to point out that in a way, it’s 70 percent done now. All that’s needed is a little excavation of very shallow and narrow areas. Funding has been received for the Water Institute to study how excavating these points could impact drainage.

 “We are actually hoping to show significant improvements,” Mann said.

He shared the project’s beginning, which predated Just Imagine. It was 2014. Mike Nodia, head of a local engineering firm, was looking for ways to improve quality of life as a way to recruit and retain talent, according to Mann.

“He’s the one that observed that if we put some effort into this, we could actually have a waterway that you could put a kayak in at one location and go all the way around the city.”

Nodia did a lot of work developing the concept and he came to the Community Foundation in 2016 and presented Bayou Greenbelt to a group of volunteers that made up a committee called The Community Initiative Group.

Retired local attorney Lee Boyer reached out to partner with the National Park Service.

The National Park Service is about more than its memorable parks, according to Siewers. A small team partners with local communities to help them identify the ways they can invest in what we call Special Places Close to Home.

Bayou Greenbelt checked off all the criteria, recreation near places you work and play, public health, environmental benefits for wildlife habitat, maybe a green space to establish pollinator gardens or protect nesting corridors.

“A neat thing about this project is the way that it has been paired, not just with local advocates who have the energy and the willingness and time to move it forward, but in this instance we’ve also been able to partner with FEMA,” Siewers said.

de Mahy said he saw Bayou Greenbelt as opening up opportunities for people who love the water – and opportunities, including educational opportunities, for those who will enjoy access for the first time.

The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana facilitates the Just Imagine plan that was created by engaging the public.

Mann said in those meetings, where everyone was free to offer input, Bayou Greenbelt generated the most excitement with people in the area because it does what they want, it gives them access to the natural resources in the area.