Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin

	Introduction: Introduction | Acknowledgements

Introduction - Acknowledgements

The concept of the Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin is the outgrowth of collaboration among the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF), United States Geological Survey (USGS) and University of New Orleans (UNO). Beginning in 1994 during fieldwork aboard the Research Vessel G.K. Gilbert in Lake Pontchartrain, Jack Kindinger, Jeff Waters, Jeff Williams and Shea Penland discussed ideas for presenting the results of the five-year USGS Pontchartrain Basin Study (1994-1999). As this USGS study progressed, awareness of the tremendous amount of information that existed concerning this magnificent estuarine ecosystem grew. More importantly, we became aware that most of this information was not making it to the intended users: the public, educators, other scientists, natural resource trustees, planners, managers and decision makers.

In 1999, at the end of the USGS Pontchartrain Basin Study, Jeff Waters successfully presented the concept of the Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and received a commitment of funding. Jack Kindinger and Jeff Williams then received an extra year of funding from the USGS Coastal Marine Geology Program. Once this funding was secured, UNO was able to begin production of the Atlas.

First of all, the authors would like to thank Carlton Dufrechou (LPBF Executive Director) and Jeff Williams (USGS Coastal Marine Program Coordinator) for their vision and support in this endeavor. Andrew Beall (Atlas Editor from UNO's Coastal Research Laboratory), supported by Paul Connor, George Frierson, Karen Ramsey and Chris Zganjar, was primarily responsible for the Atlas production. Dinah Maygarden (UNO) and Dawn Boudreaux (LPBF) acted as the Atlas copy editors.

Following release of the printed Atlas by UNO, staff at USGS, St. Petersburg updated and converted the original Atlas completely into HTML format for web distribution and CD-ROM production. During this update process, some original Atlas content was reorganized and additional narrative passages composed to clarify certain sections. A revised index was also constructed and incorporated into the digital product.

Listed below are organizations and individuals that made important contributions to the success of this project.

• Neil Armingeon
• Dawn Boudreaux
• Andrea Bourgeois-Calvin
• Carlton Dufrechou
• Steve Gorin
• Lynn Leonard
• Jill Mastrototaro
• Anne Rheams
• Jeff Waters

• Noreen Buster
• Tonya Clayton
• Chandra Dreher
• Nick Ferina
• James Flocks
• Chuck Holmes
• Jack Kindinger
• Jeff List
• Frank Manheim
• Marci Marot
• Chris Polloni
• Jolene Shirley
• Rich Signell
• Rick Stumpf
• Dana Weise
• Debra Willard
• Jeff Williams

• Andrew Beall
• Paul Connor
• George Frierson
• Dinah Maygarden
• Phil McCarty
• Shea Penland
• Allyson Peters
• Karen Ramsey
• Denise Reed
• Robert Seal (LSU)
• Karen Westphal (LSU)
• Chris Zganjar

Other important contributors to the Atlas production include Del Britsch (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) and Scott Noakes (University of Georgia). From the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Heather Finley and Jim Hanifen provided valuable assistance. The important contributions made by the individuals listed in the List of Authors is recognized.

Recommended Citation Style Format: Last Name, Initials, 2002. Section Title, in S. Penland, A. Beall and J. Kindinger (editors), Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin: Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, New Orleans, LA, U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 02-206, CD-ROM (available at http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/pontchartrain/atlas). Example: Penland, S., Beall, A., Britsch, D., and Williams, S.J., 2002. Pontchartrain Basin Land Loss - Process Classification in S. Penland, A. Beall and J. Kindinger (editors), Environmental Atlas of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin: Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, New Orleans, LA, U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 02-206, CD-ROM (available at http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/pontchartrain/atlas).