The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) is excited to have you join us in Manchac, LA! The Maurepas Swamp is critical to the well-being of the communities around Lake Maurepas. Historically, the Maurepas Swamp was an old-growth, freshwater forested swamp naturally connected to the Mississippi River. Periodic overbank flooding supplied the swamp with a steady freshwater input that maintained a nutrient-rich, healthy ecosystem.
This region has been clearcut for cypress timber and as a result, converted from old-growth hardwood forest to marshland over the past few centuries. Canals such as the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) have increased the salinity of this estuarine system and exacerbated ecological damage. Since MRGO has been closed and with the Maurepas River Reintroduction Project expected to break ground in the near future, salinities have lowered to levels that can support ecological restoration of the bottomland hardwood forest.
With your help, CRCL will plant an additional 4,500 cypress trees to strengthen this area against storms and provide habitat for critical wildlife.
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 16 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:
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
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 muddy terrain, 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.
If you require verification of your service, please email volunteers@crcl.org following the event.
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.
