Mississippi State University’s Gulf Community Design Studio honored

Mississippi State University’s Gulf Community Design Studio (GCCDS) won the First Place 2015 Gulf Guardian Award in the Civic/Non-Profit Category, presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Gulf of Mexico Program today.

Since 2009, GCCSD has worked to help East Biloxi, Mississippi recover from Hurricane Katrina. Producing  neighborhood plans for various communities in the city, the group started with Bayou Auguste in the inner-city, where it engaged in environmental education activities. GCCSD also worked to create a neighborhood nature park in a bid to promote local environmental stewardship.

“This is the 13th year of the Gulf Guardian Awards, and I am proud to say that each year the winners in all categories have represented the very best of environmental accomplishments in the Gulf of Mexico,” Gulf of Mexico Program Chief of Staff Diane Altsman said. “The Gulf of Mexico Program partnership works to improve the environmental health of the Gulf, and the Gulf Guardian Awards is an important way for us to recognize these valuable efforts.”