Thousands of Christmas trees dropped in Bayou Sauvage to deter erosion

http://www.nola.com/ ^ | 3/23/17 | Tristan Baurick

[BBell]

National Guard helicopters dropped thousands of used Christmas trees into Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge marshlands in New Orleans East this week. It's part of a decades-long restoration effort.

"For us, it was Christmas in March," Shelley Stiaes said. She's the manager of the 25,000-acre refuge, and has worked there 19 years.

Nearly 5,000 trees collected in New Orleans after Christmas were airlifted to select spots in wetlands and ponds. The trees act as a breakwater, protecting the city from storm surges and erosion, while also providing habitat for fish and other wildlife.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says Bayou Sauvage is the largest urban refuge in the country and is one of the last remaining marshlands on Lake Pontchartrain. It hosts aquatic animals, alligator and about 340 bird species.

"The trees provide important habitat for waterfowl and fish, crab, crawfish and shrimp," Stiaes said. "And for us - the people of New Orleans - it reverses shoreline erosion."

Silt trapped in the tree branches form a stable base for marsh grasses to take hold. Once rooted, the grasses help keep the land in place against wave action.

[BBell]

This is such a simple solution I am surprised it's allowed. I does work as I have canoed around areas where the trees where put down and you can see the results. It works great as long as the process takes root before a hurricane hits.

A Louisiana National Guard Black Hawk helicopter lowers a bundle of recycled Christmas trees into Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in New Orleans East. The trees trap sediment and restore marshlands.

[NohSpinZone]

Let me guess, man-made global warming?

[dadfly]

why can’t Trump hire this guy?

[Ezekiel]

“Hey Griswold, where do you think you’re gonna put a tree that big?” ~ Todd

[Daffynition]

Do you still have your tree *up* my FRiend?

You make light of my upcycling and my Swamp Yankee ways. Go right ahead. The tree-spirits understand. :) Take your tree down: "The evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking". Party on.

[Ezekiel]

Okay, you win with the heart-melting redpoll pic. :)

[Daffynition]

Thank you my darling! Eagles up!

[Rebelrage]

Another boondoggle. Using a $6000 per hour Blackhawk to transport dead Christmas trees? I don't think Trump would like it much.

[BBell]

The tree drop serves as a training exercise for the Louisiana Air National Guard. Helicopter pilots sharpen their skills for drops that might include water and supplies during a disaster.

At least they were doing something productive. Also it turned a job that would have taken over a week into an 8 hour job.

[Mike Darancette]

Seems like a win, win win proposition.

[Mike Darancette]

Seems like a win, win win proposition.

[Kirkwood]

What boondoggle? The aircrew would be training anyway by moving something around. They have to continuously train to keep their hover skills sharp.

[BBell]

Yea it works. A number of years back there was a guy in my neighborhood picking up Christmas trees. I asked him if how the swamp reclamation was going. He didn’t know, he was picking them up for his camp. He told me when he first heard about this he got some Christmas trees and put them under the dock at his camp. He said with in a year he was catching fish like crazy as well as crabs.