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Jefferson Parish Christmas Tree
Marsh Restoration Project 2012
From Jefferson Parish,
 Jefferson
Parish is preparing for its 22nd Annual Christmas Tree Marsh
Restoration Project. All Jefferson Parish residents, including
unincorporated areas, the Town of Jean Lafitte, Gretna, Harahan,
Kenner and Westwego, wishing to participate in the program are asked
to remove all lights, tinsel, garland, ornaments, tree stands and
plastic bags from their Christmas trees and leave them on the curb
for collection. Artificial, flocked or painted trees are not
eligible for the program.
Residents are advised to place trees curbside on the evening of
Wednesday, January 11, 2012, whereas in years’ past, trees were
typically collected on the second scheduled garbage collection day.
Garbage trucks will make one pass through each neighborhood to
collect trees within the dates of January 12, 13, and 14, 2012.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Fire Departments of
the West Bank Presidents and Chiefs Association will again this year
offer the use of their boats and personnel, and the 24th Judicial
District Court, State Probation and Parole as well as other parish
related justice programs are assigning court ordered community
service workers to participate in supporting coastal restoration.
The New Orleans Fire Department is also supporting the Tree Marsh
Restoration Project as will several Jefferson Parish municipal
Police Departments. Fire Department and law enforcement personnel
will use boats to transport recyclable Christmas trees, using this
as a training exercise for maneuvering shallow draft boats in tight
quarters to specific GPS coordinates, while court ordered community
service workers will load trees into
boats. Court ordered participants will have their service hours
tracked and submitted to the appropriate justice program by
employees of the Operations division of the Parish President’s
Office.
“The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources eliminated funding
for Christmas tree marsh restoration programs throughout the state,
but because of the generosity and cooperation of the 24th Judicial
District Court, Sheriff Normand, and our Fire Fighters, we are
continuing the vital work of saving our coastline,” said Jefferson
Parish President John Young.
Trees will be placed into pre-constructed shoreline fences in Goose
Bayou, near the town of Jean Lafitte. Project Coordinator Jason
Smith added that “A monitoring study by Louisiana State University
found that these tree fences dramatically reduce the rate of
shoreline retreat and, by effectively trapping sediments, result in
higher accretion rates in nearby marshes. Sediments carried over and
through the fences by wave action are slowly accreting and building
land between the shoreline and the fences.”
For more information contact Marnie Winter, Director, Jefferson
Parish Department of Environmental Affairs at 731-4612.
A
little history
Louisiana is losing 25 -
35 square miles of coastal wetlands each year. The Barataria Basin
is the fastest-eroding area of Louisiana's coast. Jefferson Parish
once had 50 miles of near-solid healthy wetlands between it and the
Gulf of Mexico. The wetlands protect developed areas against
hurricane surges, provide natural treatment for storm water, and
provide a rich nursery ground for fisheries. Now, a large percentage
of these wetlands have been converted to open water, significantly
reducing storm protection.
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Since 1991, over
750,000 Christmas trees have been recycled by using them to
rebuild wetlands rather than taking up valuable landfill space.
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Tree fences slow wave
action, trap sediments, and combat erosion.
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Wetlands will be
created and protected behind shoreline cribs and by filling in
dead-end, abandoned, oil-access canals.
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Project increases
public awareness of wetland losses, solid waste issues, and
conservation of natural resources.
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Project received
national attention in 1997 when we received seventy Christmas
trees from the White House.
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Project is funded by
Jefferson Parish and the Louisiana Department of Natural
Resources Coastal Restoration Division.
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Project is largely
dependent on community volunteers and assistance from other
government agencies such as the Louisiana Army Air Guard and LA
Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries.
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Project relies
heavily on cash and in-kind contributions from corporations,
such as past support from Chevron, Texaco, Shell, Exxon,
Entergy, and Home Depot.
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1994 - National
Association of Counties Environmental Achievement Award.
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1995 - Bureau of
Governmental Research Excellence in Government Keller Award.
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1996 - Renew America
National Award for Environmental Sustainability.
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1999 - U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 Regional
Administrator's Environmental Excellence Award for Environmental
Education.
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2000 - SWANA/NCTA
Christmas Tree Recycling Excellence Award.
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2001 - Coalition to
Restore Coastal Louisiana s Coastal Stewardship Award.
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2001 - Walter B.
Jones Memorial Award: Excellence in Local Government for Coastal
and Ocean Resource Management.
VOLUNTEER FOR THIS "HANDS
ON" ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT
RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE
Projects like this would not be possible without you.
For more information please contact:
Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs
4901 Jefferson Hwy., Suite E
Jefferson, LA 70121
(504) 731-4612
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