Lumo
Team information
Category:
Alita Tithphit
Bachelor
Wageningen University
Khoa Nguyen
Master
WUR
Marthenci Imbraiseri Wanggai
Master
Wageningen University & Research
Annida Fitriyya
Master
Wageningen University and Research
Mickey Tithphit
Bachelor
Wageningen University
Alexus Tithphit
fresh graduate
Karl Landsteiner university of health sciences (Intended)
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About the team
Hello, we are Team Lumo, a group of eight students from Wageningen University and Research and Ohio State University from diverse academic backgrounds. Inspired by the historic Pass A L'Outre Light, which once guided ships through the Delta, we aim to shine new ideas on the complex issues of river restoration through nature-based solutions. Our goal is to help restore the landscape and strengthen the communities that depend on it!
Our vision
This vision imagines the Mississippi River Delta in 2120 as a regenerative, nature-positive landscape where wetland restoration supports both ecosystems and livelihoods. Ecological repair is integrated with social justice, equitable governance, and cultural resilience. The Delta becomes a global model of coexistence, where climate resilience is built through shared resources, community care, and cultural continuity. The core strategy positions sediment as the foundation for transformation: sediment-driven land building enables wetland restoration, which supports regenerative economies, strengthens governance, and enhances long-term climate resilience. Food systems focus on regenerative aquaculture, including oysters and crawfish, alongside the revival of Indigenous floodplain agriculture. Regional food hubs connect restored wetlands with urban markets to improve food security. Nature and biodiversity strategies include large-scale rewilding with bald cypress forests and coastal prairie, restored migratory bird corridors, and oyster reef networks that provide habitat and coastal protection. Water systems prioritize sediment diversions, managed retreat, adaptive land use, and sponge-city approaches in urban areas such as New Orleans. Energy and infrastructure emphasize electrified ports, solar-powered cooperative housing, and elevated mobility corridors that integrate transportation with ecological functions. Equity is central, with revenue-sharing from ecosystem services, Indigenous and community-led governance, and workforce programs empowering BIPOC youth in restoration. The design focus is the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, a key project in coastal restoration between Plaquemines and Lafourche Parishes. Strategies include hybrid land-building, cultural zoning aligned with local practices, green job networks, adaptive housing, and community-based resource governance. Supporting materials include maps, system diagrams, and data visualizations that link geomorphology, culture, and nature-based solutions. Together, the vision presents an integrated approach to ecological, economic, and social regeneration in the Delta. Disclaimer: AI was used for help to put the research findings and ideas together.
Our inventory & analysis
The Mississippi River Delta is a dynamic sedimentary landscape formed over 7,000 years by freshwater and sediment flows from a vast watershed. Today, it faces an urgent environmental crisis caused by land subsidence, sea-level rise, and intensifying storms. Since the 1930s, more than 2,000 square miles of wetlands have been lost, and projections suggest significant further loss by 2100. Despite these challenges, the Delta remains culturally rich and resilient, home to Indigenous, Black, Creole, Cajun, and immigrant communities with strong connections to land and water. This study frames the Delta as a living system with regenerative potential, emphasizing nature-based solutions that integrate ecological restoration, cultural continuity, and shared stewardship. The research uses a transdisciplinary, multi-scalar approach combining geomorphology, spatial planning, and social justice. Data from organizations such as USGS and NOAA supported the analysis. Six regional zones were identified, each offering distinct opportunities, including floodplain reconnection, sediment diversions, wetland restoration, aquaculture, and equitable urban adaptation. Key trends include ongoing wetland loss, rural population decline, fossil fuel dependence, and increasing climate extremes. Opportunities lie in sediment-based land building, sustainable economies, and community-led adaptation. However, political resistance, fragmented governance, and uncertainty over resource rights remain major barriers. The Delta’s future depends on reconnecting ecological processes with social and economic transformation to build long-term resilience. Disclaimer: AI was used for help to put the research findings and ideas together.