We’ve Planted More Than 10,000 TREES since the devastation of 2005 and have just committed to planting 10,000 more!
Did you know that in February 2012 the National Forest Service cited New Orleans as the most deforested city in the U.S.?
Parkway Partners is excited to announce Phase One of its new “Reforest the 9th Ward” project. This first planting will happen in April and May 2013 and involves the first plantings of Live Oaks along St. Claude Avenue in the Marigny and Bywater. For more details, please visit our webpage for information and how to join in this effort.
Our ReLeaf program is an initiative that was born out of Hurricane Katrina’s destruction of New Orleans’ urban forest. This program has planted over 10,000 trees since December 2005.
Why is an urban forest important?
Trees produce oxygen.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, “a mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year.”
Trees clean the water, air and soil.
Phytoremediation is when plants are used to remove toxins such as metals, pesticides, solvents and gasoline from the air, soil and water. Trees absorb gaseous pollutants through tiny openings in their leaves and through pores in their bark, either storing the pollutants in their tissues or convert them into less harmful forms. Trees also intercept small particulate matter like dust, pollen and smoke, cleaning our air. “In Houston, TX the tree canopy was estimated to remove 60,575 tons of air pollutants annually with a value of nearly $300 million,” according to the USDA.
Trees Cool Off Cities.
Urban heat islands occur throughout cities because of the concentration of buildings, roads and pavement which trap and absorb heat, resulting in cities literally heating up several degrees. The heat island effect makes cities less livable, and can even pose serious health risks during heat waves.
How do trees affect the heat island?
Trees shade surfaces beneath them and transpire water, lowering air temperatures, in turn reducing ozone levels. Strategically placed trees near buildings can reduce the need for air conditioning and heating, thus decreasing power emissions while also saving the buildings’ owners money.
Trees Reduce Stormwater Runoff and Improve Hydrology.
During storm events, rain runs off into wetlands, streams, bayous, lakes and oceans, carrying with it the pollutants it picks up along the way. Healthy trees can reduce runoff by absorbing water through their leaves, branches and root systems. The positive effects of a healthy urban forest are endless.
So what can I do about New Orleans lost urban forest?
Parkway Partners, in collaboration with The City of New Orleans’ Department of Parks and Parkways, has created the highly respected Tree Troopers Training. This 12-hour training course is held once a year and is free and open to the public! The 2013 Tree Troopers Training will be held this summer in the Lower 9th Ward. Check our website for dates, or sign up for our newsletter for updates.
Topics range from tree selection, to proper planting and pruning techniques, watering, pest and disease control, and garnering community support. Trained Tree Troopers then take their knowledge back to their communities and spearhead tree plantings, maintenance and pest control, thus improving their neighborhoods. Besides replanting trees, this program is a community builder, bringing neighbors together while teaching environmental responsibility and ownership. Parkway Partners always tries to enlist trained Tree Troopers when it plants trees in a neighborhood, as this better ensures the survival and longevity of the trees.
Parkway Partners is currently coordinating a tree planting on St. Claude Avenue in the Marigny and Bywater. If you are interested in participating in this event, either through donating or tree or your volunteer labor, please call or email Susannah Burley at: sburley@parkwaypartnersnola.org or 620 2224, ext 400.
If you and your neighbors are interested in reforesting your neighborhood, please contact Susannah at Parkway Partners and she can speak with you about organizing a tree planting in your community. We hope that every tree planting effort will be accompanied a Tree Trooper who can share their knowledge with the neighborhood and ensure that the trees are well cared for and nurtured into maturity.
Press:
10,000 Trees planted by Parkway Partners
N.O.Shows Steep Drop Off in Trees, Times Picayune
- Replaced almost 400 trees along identified major corridors.
- Assisted more than 37 neighborhood organizations in planting efforts.
- Trained more than 160 Tree Troopers to act as stewards of our newly planted trees and others in distress.
Tree Planting Maps
View maps of our 10,000+ trees Our trees can be found everywhere across the GNO area. View tree plantings by zip code 
Sponsor a Tree
Help support our efforts by sponsoring a tree For every $50 donated to the Gift of ReLeaf program, Parkway Partners will create a customized tribute card announcing the planting of a New Orleans tree in your honoree’s name. ReLeaf New Orleans public trees are substantial in size, as per city ordinances and guidelines established by the Department of Parks and Parkways, and the costs detailed below include maintenance and watering. Find out more
