Louisiana coast builds resilience with a four-year push to plant 30,000 trees

Organizers and volunteers have spent about four years planting native bald cypress and water tupelo saplings near Meraux, Louisiana, aiming to establish 30,000 trees to restore wetlands lost after Hurricane Katrina.

Near Lake Borgne in Meraux, volunteers have been planting hundreds of saplings wrapped in protective tubes. The work has continued for about four years across multiple wetland sites. Organizers aim to grow 30,000 native trees such as bald cypress and water tupelo to rebuild protective wetlands. The effort is rooted in recovery from Hurricane Katrina and decades of changes to the delta's waterways. Project details: - Volunteers and partner organizations use airboats, supply trailers and hands-on crews to reach planting sites near Lake Borgne. - The Central Wetlands Reforestation Collective and several groups are working together under federal and state grants to spread planting across different areas and techniques. - The groups aim to establish 30,000 trees, focusing on bald cypress and water tupelo to help hold soil, create habitat and buffer storms. - The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana has planted about 10,000 of its 15,000-tree quota and expects to finish by next year, Andrew Ferris said. - The Mississippi River–Gulf Outlet Canal (MRGO) was closed in 2009, and organizers say the resulting drop in salinity has allowed reforestation in areas once thought too salty. Summary: The planting effort seeks to rebuild coastal forests that were lost after Katrina and by past engineering decisions, with the aim of restoring wetlands that can help hold land and provide wildlife habitat. Organizers report that lower salinity after the MRGO closure opened opportunities in sites previously considered unsuitable. Several partner groups are progressing toward large planting targets and expect to complete major quotas within the next year.