"Creating a Legacy"

Ecosystem Restoration Project

Current Status:  20-acre Pilot Project

Over 4000 native trees and seedlings will be planted over the next few months with YOUR HELP!  Trees and seedlngs provided by Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, the Chevron Tree Farm and USDA/NRCS will be planted beginning on Saturday, December 05, 2009. 

Join us in the reforesting effort by Adopting-a-Tree and Volunteering for the planting effort

Recent funding from the Greater New Orleans Foundation - Plaquemines Community Foundation through the Rebuild Plaquemines Fund,  allowed a detailed pre-treatment assessment of invasive species in a 20-acre pilot treatment area at Woodlands Trail and Park.  Funding received from GNOF allowed Dr. Sean Anderson, California State University Channel Islands and John Lambrinos, Oregon State University to determine stem density and frequency of Chinese Tallow, Chinaberry and Chinese Privet.  This information will be used to determine the effectiveness of treatment to eradicate these invasive species.  Funding for treatment has been provided by the Change Happens Foundation and the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.  Thanks to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, birding surveys of breeders and migratory birds will be conducted to assess the impact of treatment on improvements in bird habitat. 

With funding provided by ConocoPhillips, educational materials on the restoration activities are being developed by Louisiana State University, School of Architecture students to be incorporated into Kiosks within the forest.  Work is also underway to produce a brochure and documentary to cover the value of low-lying forested areas, the impact of hurricanes on coastal forests, invasive species identification and removal techniques.

Volunteer for Reforestation Effort!

HELP US REACH OUR ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION GOAL!

Please help keep our forest native.  Donate today and receive one-year membership! 

BACKGROUND HISTORY:  Prior to Hurricane Katrina and Rita, three woody, non-native invasive species from Asia, Chinese Tallow, Chinese Privet and Chinaberry were concentrated along stand edges and along canopy openings associated with trails at Woodlands Trail and Park.  These invasive species were originally introduced into the Gulf Coast area several decades ago..  Volunteers worked diligently to hand remove smaller invaders.  Following Hurricane Katrina and Rita's damage to 80 - 90% of the forest canopy, the invasive species have expanded exponentially.  Without funds to remove the larger Chinese Tallow, the area continues to be seeded.  Without aggressive eradication measures, we face a high likelihood that these invaders will continue to penetrate further into the forest and within a decade may dominate the entirety of the forest.  Such an invader-dominated forest will have vastly reduced storm buffering, bird habitat and hydrological entrainment functions relative to the pre-Katrina  forest.     Woodlands Trail and Park, in partnership with California State University Channel Islands and Oregon State University have developed assessment, treatment and post-treatment methodology to remove invasive species and reforest with native species to restore native habitat.  We are continuing efforts to obtain the funds needed to complete the 20-acre restoration project. 

See Characterizing non-native, invasive plant abundance in post-Katrina Louisiana

Glossary:

Native - with respect to a particular ecosystem, a species that, other than as a result of an introduction, historically occurred or currently occurs in that ecosystem

Exotic or Non-native - refers to an organism that has been transported from its historical range to a new environment

Invasive -  when an exotic becomes so acclimated to an area that they begin to threaten the livelihood of local species, that are said to be invasive.  According to Official U.S. definitions of exotic invasive species in Executive Order 13112, an "invasive species" is a species that is:

    1) non-native to the ecosystem under consideration; and,

    2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health

Species identified in the peninsula formed by

Belle Chasse - Lower Coast Algiers

(click on image to enlarge)

Nuttal Oak, Quercus texana of the Fagaceae family Native Standing in foreground is Patti Faulkner, Ecologist, Habitat Section, Louisiana Natural Heritage Program; in background is Judy J. Jones, Contractor for the Natural Areas Registry	Nuttal Oak Native	Pumpkin Ash Native Also called the Red Ash. Pumpkin Ash is deciduous, flowering in April to May before the flush of leaves develop.
Bark of Pumpkin Ash (Fraxinus profunda) Native	Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) Native Most often seen in the understory in rich bottomland forests. Fruits ripen in mid summer and are an important food source for songbirds.	Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Native
Water Oak (Quercus nigra) Native	Water Oak (Quercus nigra) Native	Maiden Fern, Thelypteris (kunthil) of the Thelypteridaceae family Native
Common Name: Palmetto, Sabal minor of the Araceae family Native	Inflorescence of jumpseed (Polygonum virginianum) with Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) in background Native	Cherrylaurel (Prunus caroliniana) Native Glossy dark green foliage remains year round. It produces a white, fragrant flower in early spring. It produces a green fruit that ripens to lustrous black in late fall. Easily propagated by seed.
Pickerell Weed (Pontederia cordata) Native Found in swales and ditches along roadsides.	Monkey Flower (Mimulus alatus) Native Found in bogs, marshes, along stream beds	Camphor Weed (Pluchea camphonata) Native
Wild Petunia (Ruellia sp.) Native	Spider Lily (Hymenocallis) Native	Mexican Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) Native Generally seen along roadsides and disturbed areas. Considered an invasive weed by some.
Delta Duck Potato - Arrowhead (Sagittaria platyphylla) Native Grows in swales along roadsides. Important to waterfowl that eat the tubers.	Southern Blue Flag (Iris virginica) Native Grows in swales and ditches along roadsides. Blooms late March - April. This blue version is commonly seen along the Intracoastal Canal near the locks in early spring.	Louisiana Iris (Iris virginica) Native Grows in swales and ditches along roadsides. Blooms in late March - April. Copper-colored iris is commonly seen in the swales along the roadsides in Lower Coast Algiers.
Chinaberry (Melia azederach) Non-native Invasive A deciduous tree that grows to about 50 feet in height. It has lacy, dark green leaves with blue flowers in spring that yield round yellow fruit that persist during winter. Introduced in the mid-1800s from Asia. Spreads by bird dispersed seeds.	Common Privet (Ligustrum sinense) Non-native Invasive Aggressive invasive that forms dense thickets. Produces white flowers in spring and green to purple-black fruit in summer and winter. Seeds spread by birds and other animals. Introduceds as an ornamental from Korea in 1794 and Japan in 1845 and escaped from landscaping sites.	Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense) Non-native Invasive Difficult to distinguish from European privet except at flowering, both are evergreen to semievergreen. Both are thicket forming shrubs to 30 feet in height. Showy clusters of small white flowers in spring, dark purple berries in fall and winter.
Jerusalem Cherry Solanum (pseudocapsicum) Non-native A small, sturdy plant with dark green, broadly lance-shaped leaves from South America. The berries are small round orange or red balls and are primarily on the tips of the branches. All parts of the plant are poisonous with the most potent parts being the green, unripe fruit and leaves.	Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera) Non-native Invasive Also called Popcorn Tree. Introduced to South Carolina from China in the 1700's and to the Gulf Coast in the early 1900's. Grows to 60 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter with heart-shaped leaves. Purposely introduced by Benjamin Franklin with plan to utilize oil from seeds. Waxy seeds traditionally used to make candles. Can produce 100,000 seeds per year that are spread by birds, wind and animals.	Vinca Non-Native
Water Hyacinth Non-Native Invasive Swamp or Water Hyacinth was purposely introduced as an ornamental from South America in 1884 during the Worlds Industrial and Cotton Exposition. This invasive can double in size in one to two weeks. Commonly seen in the canal along Hwy. 406 between Belle Chasse Hwy. and the Lower Coast Algiers Levee. Multiplies easily, interfers with drainage

NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE PLANT SPECIES

This "Urban Forest" component was partially funded from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Educational information will be provided and updated on the vegetation, both native and non-native, found in the peninsula formed by Lower Coast Algiers and Belle Chasse.   Below are some species identified thus far with assistance from Chris Reid, Botanist, Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 

Thanks to funding from Entergy's Environmental Stewardship Grant and a contribution by Bennett's Camera & Video in Metairie,  Woodlands Trail and Park received camera equipment in January, 2005  for collecting visual images of both plant species and wildlife for educational purposes.  Thus,  we plan to continue to collect replacement photos as well as add to the collection.

Please send any comments to woodlandstrail@aol.com .

Woodlands Trail and Park - Creating a legacy for future generations

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