BATON ROUGE -  Dozens of people took part in the fourth annual Community Coastal Day at the LSU Center for River Studies in Baton Rouge.

The family-friendly event highlighted the work being done to protect and restore Louisiana's coast. 

Coastal experts called the coast an irreplaceable asset that needs to be protected for generations to come.

Nonprofit Restore & Retreat works to reduce coastal erosion through planting. The executive director, Joseph Orgeron, said events like this are critical for sharing coastal restoration efforts with the public.

"By restoring the coast, we won't have to retreat to higher ground. And, being able to live here and live as close to the coast helps Louisiana's energy production," said Orgeron.

The free event ran from 1 to 4 p.m.