NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — On Saturday, October 16, Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL), a local nonprofit organization will launch its Reforesting Pontchartrain Park Project which involves planting a tree in front of every home in the community.
The event will kick off with brief announcements by the Pontchartrain Park Neighborhood Association, SOUL, and the New Orleans Department of Parks and Parkways.
After the announcements volunteers will spread out to assigned locations and plant 100 large native trees such as oaks, magnolias, and hollies on the public right-of-way.
“The project will certainly create beauty, but more importantly it will help mitigate the flooding caused by stormwater runoff, and it will cool air temperatures by up to 8° by creating a canopy of shade which lowers energy bills and provides a friendlier atmosphere for exercising and communing with neighbors,” said Eugene Green, who introduced his vision for planting his native community to SOUL last year.
At 9:45 am volunteers will meet at the lot across from the Bethany United Methodist Church at 4533 Mendez Street and plant until 1 p.m.
To volunteer at a tree-planting event, contact Rachel Conway at rconway@soulnola.org, (504)233-4639, or sign up online.
Social distancing and COVID protocols are practiced at SOUL’s planting events. Masks are required.