18 Dec Don’t Throw Your Christmas Tree Away!
Did you know that you can save the marsh with your Christmas Tree? After the magic of Christmas is gone, Louisiana does something a little different with their Christmas trees. Jefferson Parish residents can dispose of their Christmas trees and support coastal restoration at the same time. These trees rebuild shoreline fences in the marshes near Jean Lafitte with the help of many volunteers.
Louisiana is losing 25-35 square miles of coastal wetlands each year, and the Barataria Basin is the fastest-eroding area of Louisiana’s coast. At one time, Jefferson Parish had 50 miles of solid, healthy wetlands between it and the Gulf of Mexico. The wetlands are so important for our environment, acting as a barrier and protecting areas against hurricane surges, providing natural treatment for stormwater, and providing a rich ground for fisheries.
This project has been in effect for many years. Since 1991, over 750,000 Christmas trees have been recycled by using them to rebuild the wetlands instead of taking up landfill space. These trees slow wave action, trap sediments and combat erosion.
Some residents like to take down their tree immediately after Christmas while others wait until after New Year’s Day or Epiphany. If you wait until the second week of January to haul it to the curb, your tree will be a useful tool to save the wetlands. In Jefferson Parish, residents are asked to place their tree by the curb on January 11th. The tree pickups will be mixed in with Progressive Waste Solutions’ normally scheduled trash collection, but the company will be using dedicated trucks for the trees.
Marsh Buggies cares deeply about our marsh and knows the importance of marsh restoration for the people who live here. We are your destination for Louisiana contracting services and custom swamp equipment no matter what job you have to tackle. Although the coastal erosion seems like an insurmountable feat for those on the outside looking in, Marsh Buggies has effectively helped restore the marsh and fought for the environment that makes Louisiana such a wonderful place. This year, we urge you to participate in the Christmas Tree Marsh Restoration project to spread the magic of giving well beyond the Holiday season! Merry Christmas from all of us at Marsh Buggies!
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