CRCL: Jean Lafitte Nutria Protector Removal 4.4.25
Jean Laffite National Historic Park – Marrero
Friday, April 4, 2025
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) is excited to have you in Jefferson Parish! Between 2010 and 2016, CRCL’s Native Plants Program mobilized volunteers to plant nearly 7,000 bald cypress trees in Jean Lafitte National Historic Park in Jefferson Parish along the Bayou Segnette Waterway. These trees have acted as shoreline stabilization and as essential habitat for fish and wildlife within the park.
When the trees were originally planted, volunteers installed plastic tree protectors around them to prevent herbivory, mostly by invasive Nutria. The tree protectors are hard plastic sheets that get wrapped around the base of the tree and secured with zip ties. As the trees grow, and sediment accumulates around the base, the nutria protector gets partially buried and the trees busts through the zip ties. At this time, the tree protector is no longer necessary as the tree is too big to be eaten by Nutria.
Join us to re-visit trees planted by past CRCL volunteers and remove nutria protectors and other marine debris around the sites.
Registration:
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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.
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Please note the minimum age for this event is 16 years old. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when volunteering.
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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:
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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.
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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:
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This event will include a boat ride of about 20 minutes. Volunteers are required to wear life-jackets and follow the directions of the boat captains
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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.
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Volunteers MUST wear closed-toed shoes. CRCL will provide boots on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be walking through muddy terrain, we recommend bringing a change of clothes.
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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.
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CRCL staff members are wilderness first aid-certified. If you get injured during any activity, please report it to a CRCL staff member immediately.
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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.
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If you require verification of your service, please email volunteers@crcl.org following the event.
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What to bring:
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Reusable water bottle
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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.
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If any additional members of your family/friends are attending, then they must also register.
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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
