Central Wetlands Reforestation Collective (CWRC) Tree Planting

The intersection of Florida Ave & Bartolo St

Meraux, LA

Friday, December 20, 2024

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

CRCL is excited to have you join us in Violet, LA! Installed in 2022, CRCL’s Native Plant Nursery has grown several hundred trees that will soon be planted.

CRCL is proud to be a partner organization of the Central Wetlands Reforestation Collective (CWRC). This group of organizations is collaborating to re-establish a bald cypress and water tupelo bottomland hardwood forest near New Orleans. The other organizations in the collective include Pontchartrain Conservancy, Common Ground Relief, CSED of the Lower 9th Ward, and the Arlene & Joseph Meraux Foundation.

The Central Wetlands Unit was heavily impacted by historic logging and saltwater intrusion from the Mississippi Gulf Outlet (MRGO). What once was a thick and healthy swamp is now mostly marsh and open water. Following the closure of MRGO, the salinity in this area has dropped to where it can once again support cypress trees. Restoring the swamp forest will result in higher quality wildlife habitat, storm surge/wind attenuation, and healthier ecosystems.

With your help, CRCL and other CWRC organizations will plant more than 30,000 trees in the Central Wetlands Unit over the next four years.

Boats will NOT be used during this event.

Not sure what to expect? Watch this short video!

Registration: 

• Everyone must sign our release and waiver of rights upon registration. Volunteers 17 years old and younger must have a parent or guardian complete the registration on their behalf.

• Please note the minimum age for this event is 14 years old. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when volunteering.

• If you register and later discover you are unable to attend, please notify by email at volunteers@crcl.org so another volunteer can take your slot.

Communications:

• Please be sure to provide a good email address during registration. This is the address that will be used to communicate any last-minute event details.

• Registered volunteers will receive an additional email 2 to 3 days prior to the event with SPECIFIC driving directions and additional event details. If it is the day before the event and you have not received this email, check your spam folder. If it is not there, email volunteers@crcl.org.

Day-of Logistics & Safety:

• Snacks, lunch, water, sports drinks and all necessary equipment (including work gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.) will be provided to volunteers. Please bring a reusable water bottle to cut down on plastic waste.

• Volunteers MUST wear closed-toed shoes.  CRCL will provide boots on a first-come, first-served basis.

• You will be walking through uneven terrain through the marsh, you will get muddy up to your knees and potentially higher. We recommend bringing a change of clothes.

• If you have a severe allergy or dietary restriction, please email sofia.giordano@crcl.org, and we will do our best to accommodate you. We are currently unable to accommodate gluten-free volunteers. If you are gluten-free, please bring yourself snacks. If you have a severe allergy that requires an EpiPen, please be sure to bring it with you.

• CRCL staff members are wilderness first aid-certified. If you get injured during any activity, please report it to a CRCL staff member immediately.

• If you are interested in carpooling, please post to our carpool board. If you can offer a ride, please include the capacity of your vehicle, departure and return times, and where you are driving from. Please carpool at your own risk and discretion.

• What to bring:

  • Reusable water bottle

  • Closed-toed shoes, preferably boots.

Volunteering on our coast is a wonderful way to spend a day and we would like to ensure that everyone gets a chance to have a great experience. We require that all volunteers please register to let us know if you plan to attend.

• If any additional members of your family/friends are attending, then they must also register.

• If, after registering, you find you are unable to attend, please notify us of your cancellation.

For inquiries about any of the above, you can contact us at volunteers@crcl.org