Local Businesses Participate in Tree Planting Program

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Photo above of volunteers planting trees is from SOUL NOLA’s Facebook page.

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Volunteers planting trees in front of Terranova’s
photo by Tommy Lewis

Both Terranova’s and Cafe Degas participated in the November 4, 2017 tree planting organized and sponsored by the group Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL) founded by Susannah Burley.   Faubourg St. John neighbors at  2816 Grand Route Saint John, 2934 Grand Route Saint John, and 2832 Ponce de Leon also received free trees.

What is SOUL?

“It’s an acronym for Sustaining Our Urban Landscape, and the idea is to work neighborhood by neighborhood to help residents form a strategic plan to reduce dramatically the amount of stormwater that goes into catch basins and the drainage system,” said Burley, who also holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture from LSU.   Quote from an article by Stephanie Bruno which you can see here:  https://soulnola.org/news/

Everyone knows money doesn’t grow on trees nor does it grow for trees.  If you would like to donate to help put more trees in the neighborhood, please contact Susannah Burley at:  (504) 616-6888 or you can donate to SOUL online at the Trust for Conservation Innovation’s website.   Learn more about donating to SOUL online at:  https://soulnola.org/donate/ or just call Ms. Burley at (504) 616-6888

Cafe Degas participated in SOUL’s November 4, 2017 tree planting
Terranova’s participated in SOUL’s November 4, 2017 tree planting

Photos above of trees by Cafe Degas and Terranova’s are by Charlie London
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Photos below are from SOUL NOLA’s Facebook page

Jacques Soulas was very happy to receive trees next to Cafe Degas
Volunteers gather at Terranova’s to help plant trees
Lots of opportunities to help during the tree planting. These folks helped by delivering trees. They are pictured next to Cafe Degas

Recycle Your Holiday Tree

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recycle-christmas-treeOrleans Parish:

Place trees curbside on your regular collection day, starting Jan. 8 and ending Jan. 10.

The best way to avoid a mess removing your tree is to place a plastic tree bag (available at hardware stores) underneath the stand when you set the tree up. You can hide it with a tree skirt. Then, when the holidays are done, pull the bag up around the tree, stand and all, and carry it outside. Obviously, you will want to remove the stand before recycling the tree. If some needles do scatter inside, it is better to sweep them up; as needles can clog vacuum cleaners.

Real Christmas Trees are biodegradable, which means they can be easily reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes.

Orleans Parish:

Place trees curbside on your regular collection day, starting Jan. 8 and ending Jan. 10.

History of Christmas Trees

  • 1510 – The first written record of a decorated Christmas Tree comes from Riga, Latvia. Men of the local merchants’ guild decorated a tree with artificial roses, danced around it in the marketplace and then set fire to it. The rose was used for many year and is considered to be a symbol for the Virgin Mary.
  • 1530 – There is record from Alsace, France (then Germany territory) that trees were sold in the marketplace and brought home and set up undecorated. Laws limited the size to “8 shoe lengths” (slightly over 4 feet).
  • 1600s – By the 17th century, it was common in Germany to decorate Christmas Trees with apples. This practice was a holdover from the 14th and 15th centuries when evergreen boughs hung with apples were the only prop used in the “miracle plays” that were performed at the churches on December 24. December 24 was Adam & Eve’s Day in the early Christian calendar, and the plays were used as ways of teaching the Bible to a largely illiterate population.
  • 1700s – In parts of Austria and Germany, evergreen tips were brought into the home and hung top down from the ceiling. They were often decorated with apples, gilded nuts and red paper strips. Edible ornaments became so popular on Christmas Trees that they were often called “sugartrees.” The first accounts of using lighted candles as decorations on Christmas Trees come from France in the 18th century.
  • 1800s – The Christmas Tree was introduced in the United States by German settlers. It rapidly grew from tabletop size to floor-to-ceiling.
  • 1851 – Christmas Trees began to be sold commercially in the United States. They were taken at random from the forests.
  • 1853 – Franklin Pierce is credited with bringing the first Christmas Tree to the White House.
  • Late 1800s – The first glass ornaments were introduced into the United States, again from Germany. The first ones were mostly balls, but later chains of balls, toys and figures became more common.
  • Around 1883 – Sears, Roebuck & Company began offering the first artificial Christmas trees – 33 limbs for $.50 and 55 limbs for $1.00.
  • 1900s – Due to overharvesting, the natural supply of evergreens began to be decimated. Conservationists became alarmed, and many magazines began to encourage people to substitute an artificial “snow” covered tree, consisting of a branch of a deciduous tree wrapped in cotton.
  • 1901 – The first Christmas Tree farm was started in 1901 when W.V. McGalliard planted 25,000 Norway spruce on his farm in New Jersey. Also in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt tried to stop the practice of having Christmas Trees out of concern about the destruction of forests. His two sons didn’t agree and enlisted the help of conservationist Gifford Pinchot to persuade the president that, done properly, the practice was not harmful to the forests.
  • 1930s – President Franklin D. Roosevelt started a Christmas Tree farm on his estate in Hyde Park, New York.
  • 1966 – The National Christmas Tree Association began its time-honored tradition of having the Grand Champion grower present a Christmas Tree to the First Lady for display in the Blue Room of the White House. That year, Howard Pierce of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, presented a tree to President Lyndon Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson.
  • Today – Approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees are sold each year in the United States. Almost all of these come from Christmas Tree plantations.

Looking for more Christmas facts and history?

Visit History.com’s Christmas Section

Timeline provided by The Rocks Christmas Tree Farm, Bethlehem, NH.

City Removes Dangerous Tree

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A few months ago, neighbor Richard Angelico contacted the City about a Sycamore tree that had reached the end of its life. Limbs were falling on people and cars. Today, the City was out in force and Richard is happy to report that the dangerous tree is gone!

Click on any of Richard’s photos below for a larger view. Tree was located in the 3200 block of Grand Route Saint John.

Click on any of Richard’s photos above for a larger view.

CityRemovesDangerousTreeThis photo by Brenda London

USED CHRISTMAS TREES NEEDED

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CITY TO RECYCLE CHRISTMAS TREES
FOR COASTAL RESTORATION

recycle-treeNEW ORLEANS, LA – Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced today that the City will continue its program of recycling Christmas trees in an effort to promote the restoration of Louisiana’s wetlands and to assist in the protection of the Louisiana coastline.

“New Orleans is earning a great reputation as an eco-friendly city, and this service is one of the ways our citizens can help protect and restore our environment,” Mayor Landrieu said. “Together, we can save thousands of trees from being thrown out to waste and also provide critical support to help preserve our wetlands.”

Orleans Parish residents can recycle their Christmas trees by placing them curbside on their regularly scheduled collection days January 9, 10, and 11, 2014. The trees must be natural, with all ornaments, tinsel, lights and tree stands removed. Flocked and artificial trees will not be collected, and trees should not be placed on the neutral grounds. Trees should not be placed in plastic bags.

The City’s Department of Sanitation, Office of Coastal and Environmental Affairs and the Materials Management Group are making possible the effort to collect, sort, and bundle the trees, which will be placed in selected coastal zones.

This project is funded by the general fund budget of the Office of Coastal and Environmental Affairs at a cost of approximately $12,700.

Residents seeking more information should call 3-1-1
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NEW ORLEANS FRUIT TREE PROJECT

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Emily Federer takes time out to drink some lemonade from the very same tree she is picking! This tree on Grand Route Saint John yielded 118 pounds of fruit for the NOLA Fruit Tree Project.
Emily Federer takes time out to drink some lemonade from the very same tree she is picking! This tree on Grand Route Saint John yielded 363 pounds of fruit for the NOLA Fruit Tree Project.

Greetings from
The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project!

 

I’d like to tell you about an exciting program available to your friends and neighbors. The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project is dedicated to getting fresh, local produce to those who need it most and we do that by offering free harvesting to fruit tree owners in New Orleans, Metairie and the West Bank. The fruit we harvest is donated to organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank, Covenant House and the Latino Farmers Cooperative. Last year we collected over 3,000 lbs of citrus fruit from residents and harvested in six different neighborhoods! This year our goal is to harvest 10,000 lbs and we are looking for more fruit tree owners to help us reach our goal.

Of course, fruit tree owners are welcome to a portion of their harvest. We supply our own equipment and volunteers and work around tree owner’s schedules.

If you or any of your friends or neighbors have fruit that is going to waste, please let them know about this service. And please feel free to mention us in newsletters and on websites! If you have any questions, concerns or comments please do not hesitate to contact me either by email or phone. We look forward to harvesting in your neighborhoods soon!

Megan Nuismer
Program Manager
NOLA Fruit Tree Project
(616) 581-8488
nolafruit@gmail.com

And please check out the write-up in theatlantic.com!
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/12/oranges-for-all-the-project-that-brings-produce-to-people-in-need/249457/#.Tupaaf4jbTk.facebook

The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project

About

The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project is a sustainable, community-based solution to food insecurity in the greater New Orleans area. Using a tree owner registration and volunteer time, The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project harvests fruits from private residential property in the city of New Orleans that would otherwise go to waste. The harvested produce is donated to local organizations that feed the hungry.

History

The New Orleans Fruit Project began in January 2011 as a program of Hollygrove Market & Farm. With just a 12-foot ladder, a couple of fruit pickers and a few dedicated volunteers, NOFTP harvested over 3,000 pounds of fruit from six New Orleans neighborhoods and one orchard in Belle Chasse during the 2011 Citrus Season.

January 2012 marked NOFTP’s second Citrus Season and a 10,000-pound goal was set. With the support of the Wisner Donation, a grant made available through the City of New Orleans, NOFTP was able to purchase more equipment and accomplish more harvests. From January to March 2012, NOFTP performed 26 urban harvests, 3 orchard gleanings, worked with over 35 volunteers and harvested over 10,000 pounds of fruit!

How it works

Fruit tree owners register their trees and notify NOFTP when their fruit is ready to be picked. NOFTP organizes a group of volunteers to come and collect the fruit, which is then donated, to organizations that feed those in need.

The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project aims to meet these objectives:

  1. Empowering residents of New Orleans to help feed their neighbors and utilizing fresh, local produce that would otherwise go to waste
  2. Increase the access of fresh, local produce to those who are most in need
  3. Provide an educational opportunity for volunteers by teaching the proper techniques of fruit harvesting and the overall importance of creating healthy systems of sustainable, cost-free ways of obtaining healthy foods

Tree Registration

The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project operates through the generosity of tree owners who donate their bounty for harvesting. All trees are registered by their owners and harvested only upon request. We work with tree owners to assess fruit ripeness, site accessibility and schedule the harvest at the convenience of the owner. Tree owners are encouraged to join in the fun or can leave the work to us. Tree owners are welcome to a portion of each harvest or can choose to donate it all.

Community Partners

The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project recognizes these organizations for their continued support:

Carrollton-Hollygrove Community Development Corporation

Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation
Pitch NOLA 2012- Community Solutions 3rd Place Award Recipient

New Orleans Hash House Harriers Red Dress Run

Tulane University Center for Public Service

New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity

Hollygrove Market & Farm (HMF)

Second Harvest Food Bank

Tulane Community Health Center

 

Share your fruit by Melinda Shelton

My backyard Meyer lemon and Satsuma orange trees are heavy with fruit, which I’m sharing with co-workers, students and neighbors. Based on what I’m seeing throughout the city, we’re having a bumper citrus crop.

Residents with fruit trees can “recycle” rather than waste Nature’s bounty by calling—and volunteering with—the New Orleans Fruit Free Project. Program manager Megan Nuismer said volunteers will pick—yes, pick—fruit on trees in New Orleans, Metairie and on the West Bank. Owners register their trees with the program, and a picking schedule is set. The project provides equipment, and owners can keep some of the picked fruit.

“The fruit we harvest is donated to organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank, Covenant House and the Latino Farmers Cooperative,” Nuismer said. “Last year, we collected over 3,000 pounds of citrus fruit from residents and harvested in six different neighborhoods.”

The group wants to harvest 10,000 pounds this year, so more owners and volunteers are needed, Nuismer said.

As part of this year’s campaign, the project hosts a fund-raiser at Elizabeth’s Restaurant Dec. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. A $20 donation includes two drink tickets and food, and samples of cocktail entries in a best-bartender contest. There will also be live entertainment, Nuismer said.

For more information, Nuismer can be reached at nolafruit@gmail.com or call 616.581.8488.

Forests are the Lungs of our Land

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<— The 2012 Class of Tree Troopers

 

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ”

― Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

ENROLL IN TREE TROOPERS 2013

Master Gardeners- Come fulfill your 12 hours of continuing education units (CEUs) at Tree Troopers!

Frequently Asked Questions

Tree Troopers is 12- hour annual educational series that is free and open to the public.  Experts from all over Louisiana speak on different subjects, including:

  • The Importance of Native Trees
  • The Edible Urban Forest: Nut and Fruit Bearing Trees
  • The Environmental Impact of New Orleans Tree Canopy
  • How to Properly Plant, Prune, Water and Maintain Your Trees
  • Tree Selection: How to Choose the Right Tree For the Right Spot
  • How to Take Your Knowledge Back to Your Community and Initiate a Tree Planting
  • …. and much, much more!

The 2013 Tree Troopers Schedule will be announced soon.  Check this page for updated information.

Location:

The Trumpet Icehouse

Trumpet Icehouse
2803 St. Philip St.
New Orleans, LA 70119

*In partnership with Broad Community Connections, Parkway Partners is hosting our 2013 Tree Troopers training just blocks off the Broad Street corridor.  A tree giveaway will follow the series, and priority will be given to Tree Troopers graduates.

Dates & Times:

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

5-6:30pm – speaker TBA

6:30-8pm – speaker TBA

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

 

5-6:30pm – speaker TBA

6:30-8pm – speaker TBA

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

 

5-6:30pm – speaker TBA

6:30-8pm – speaker TBA

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

 

5-6:30pm – speaker TBA

6:30-8pm – speaker TBA

ENROLL IN TREE TROOPERS 2013

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Email Susannah Burley with questions or call 504-620-2224, x400.

City Removes Tree

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tree-removed-2013july16

A neighbor in the 3200 block of Grand Route Saint John called the City of New Orleans about a dead tree in front of their home.

The tree was dead and full of bees. The City came out and determined that the tree needed to be removed. The Parks and Parkways Department will help with trees on City property. This tree was between the sidewalk and the street. The area between the sidewalk and the street belongs to the City of New Orleans.

The Department of Parks and Parkways encourages tree planting by citizens, but requires citizens to get a free Tree Planting Permit to plant a tree between the sidewalk and curb. Citizens also need to submit plans for the trees and/or shrubs they intend to plant on public property.

For full information and a permit application, see the Tree Planting Permit page from the City of New Orleans Permit & Licenses department. Depending on the location planting location, citizens may also need a Sidewalk Cut Permit.

If you need to contact the City of New Orleans please visit the link below:
https://fsjna.org/contact/federal-government-links/

stump1-3200grsj-2013july16stump-3200grsj-2013july16

Many thanks to the City workers
who did a great job!


entergy-3200grsj-2013july16

Entergy came out after the tree was removed
to make sure all the utilities were safe.


tree-removed-2013july16

City workers left the area clean.

PLANT A TREE | REDUCE CRIME

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Planting a tree on or near your property can reduce flooding!

Trees in our community provide many services beyond the inherent beauty they lend to streets and properties. One of the most overlooked and underappreciated is their ability to reduce the volume of water rushing through gutters and pipes following a storm. This means less investment in expensive infrastructure and – importantly – cleaner water when the runoff reaches rivers, lakes, and bayous.

Details in the link:
http://www.northlandnemo.org/images/800TreeCityUSABulletin_55.pdf

PLANT A TREE AND HELP REDUCE CRIME!

Click here for the original article.

Click here for a PDF from the LSU Ag Center on why you should plant trees

baltimoreThe city of Baltimore’s high crime rate inspired a gritty TV drama. But a new study (Tinyurl.com/TreeCrimeReport) by the University of Vermont’s Transportation Research Center, in Burlington, found that a 10 percent increase in trees in a given area led to a 12 percent decrease in crime. “It’s really pretty striking how strong this relationship is,” says Austin Troy, lead author of the study, published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning.

Researchers examined the correlation in and around Baltimore using aggregated crime data and combining it with high-resolution satellite images to conduct the analysis. The working hypothesis is that because people enjoy spending time in pleasant outdoor spaces, there are more observers present to hinder criminal activity. Also, a well-maintained landscape seems to send a message that someone may be watching.

To avoid culture bias, the study considered many socioeconomic factors, including housing, age, income and race of residents, as well as variables such as rural versus city setting and population density. The findings should prove helpful to urban planners.

NativeFringeTreeLousiana-500x333Fringetrees are excellent anywhere that a very small tree is needed, such as near a patio, in small yards, or under power lines. Like many white-flowered plants, they look especially nice planted in front of a dark backdrop. They can be used as individual specimens, in groups, in mixed shrub borders or in natural gardens. They are well suited to urban plantings due to pollution tolerance and adaptability to varied soils. Fringetrees are not salt tolerant.

Although fringetrees are adaptable and will grow in most soil types, they prefer moist, deep, well-drained, acidic soils. They grow well in full sun to partial shade. Leaf appearance is best in some shade, but flowering is heaviest in full sun. The ideal compromise would be sun through most of the day, but shade during hot afternoon hours. Fringetrees have low maintenance needs once established.

Due to a naturally strong branch structure fringetrees rarely need pruning. Pruning while young may be desirable if a single stem tree form is preferred. Fringetrees do not transplant well so take care to choose an appropriate permanent location and use proper planting methods. Plant it high, it won’t die!

 

Plant it Low, It Won’t Grow | Plant it High, It Won’t Die

The most important consideration in planting trees and shrubs is the planting depth. Don’t plant too deep!
Plant all trees and shrubs about one inch above the surface of the existing soil. No dirt should be placed on top of the existing roots and nursery soil so as to not smother the root system. Mulch well, leaving a two inch gap around the caliper(s) of the plant.

For the most efficient use of water, construct an earthen berm two to three inches high around the drip zone area of the plant after planting. Water in well after planting!

 

TREES TO PLANT IN NEW ORLEANS

choose-tree

Rain barrels reduce the amount of runoff to the City’s pumps and can reduce your water bill if you are an avid gardener and use a lot of water in your garden. If you connect rain barrels to the downspouts they will be more effective. However, I have one on a stand that still provides a lot of water for the garden. More about rain barrels in the link:
Learn more about rain barrels: CLICK HERE

Also in the photo you will notice open containers that I use to collect rainwater. If you use those, be sure to use the water in them relatively quickly so that you don’t help breed mosquitos. After every rain, remove any standing water from around your home. More about mosquitos in the link: https://fsjna.org/2017/08/remove-standing-water/

New Orleans has a Mosquito Control Board. Learn more in the link below:
http://www.nola.gov/RESIDENTS/Mosquito-Termite-and-Rodent-Control-Board/

5 Gallons of Your Time

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tree-graphicKnow everyone is enjoying the wonderful new oak trees put on the banks of the bayou by Jared Zeller and friends. Please consider that each of those trees needs fresh water to continue their trek toward becoming mighty oaks. Bring a gallon of water with you when you go by these trees and put fresh water into the green bags around those trees. The bags slowly release the water to the tree.

Please, fresh water only. The salinity of the water from the bayou is too high.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to bring a gallon of water to the bags around the trees as often as you can!

If everyone brings just one gallon to a tree everyday there will be mighty oaks standing tall along the bayou for years to come!

Thank you for anything you can do!

Where are these trees? Between Dumaine and Lafitte Streets on Moss. The five large oak trees on are the banks of Bayou St. John across from the Post Office. Three are across from the Post Office and two are on the same side of the bayou on the other side of the Orleans Avenue bridge.

Real Troopers

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Faubourg St. John was well represented in the 2012 class of Tree Troopers!

Faubourg St. John neighbors Bobby Wozniak, Jared Zeller, Linda Marshall and Charlie London all participated in the 2012 Tree Trooper training. Topics range from tree selection, to proper planting and pruning techniques, watering, pest and disease control, and garnering community support. Click on the names above to learn more about what Tree Troopers do!

Trained Tree Troopers then take their knowledge back to their communities and spearhead tree plantings, maintenance and pest control, thus improving their own 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.

Click HERE or on the photo for more information.

Parkway Partners is a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower residents to improve their communities through the preservation, maintenance and beautification of neutral grounds, urban gardens, green spaces, playgrounds, parks and the urban forest in New Orleans.

Big Trees 11 a.m.

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Jared Zeller, Rodney Beals and Ben Faulk, all Mothership Foundation Board Members, at the December 1st, 2012 tree planting event where five 200 gallon trees were planted on the banks of Bayou St. John!

Jennifer Pearl and friends helped clean mess out of the Bayou!



MotherShip Foundation, the nonprofit that presents The Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo, is announcing a new campaign to replace four live oak trees along Bayou St. John between Dumaine and Lafitte streets. Two live oaks were lost during Hurricane Katrina, while Hurricane Isaac has taken another two. These trees have provided shade and improved the quality of life for neighborhood residents for decades, if not centuries! They increase property values while adding to the picturesque view along Bayou St. John.

The MotherShip Foundation is seeking partnerships to help plant four new live oak trees and ensure that they are cared for properly. MotherShip hopes to plant sizable trees to fit the scale of the location. Initial plantings are expected to cost nearly $30,000. However, the job does not stop there. Parks and Parkways requires any tree planted in a public space to be covered by a service contract, which ensures proper watering and guarantees the trees for one year.

This is where we need your help. The service contract alone will exceed $10,000 in the first year. Our bayou’s landscape needs your help to keep these trees watered, pruned, and cared for in times of inclement weather. Rather than spending time and resources trying to find new sponsors every year, MotherShip Foundation is hoping for neighborhood leaders to step up to this call and become long-term Tree Sponsors.

Tree Sponsors will receive an engraved plaque placed near the trunk of the tree and can choose to have their own name or business name engraved, or they can dedicate the trees to a loved one or a meaningful cause. All Tree Sponsors will also be acknowledged in all press releases and at a formal tree dedication ceremony, which will be held in the spring of 2013. Sponsorship levels are as follows:

Ranger $5000 and Up

300 gallon live oak tree
6 VIP credentials during Bayou Boogaloo 2013
Exclusive tree sponsorship to include a permanent engraved plaque near tree
Inclusion in all press releases and promotional materials
Invitation and speaking opportunity at tree dedication event in spring of 2013
Maintenance and watering contract for one year
Stage mentions during Bayou Boogaloo 2013

Farmer $3,000 – $4,999
300 gallon live oak tree
4 VIP credentials during Bayou Boogaloo 2013
Invitation to tree dedication event in spring of 2013
Shared tree sponsorship to include a permanent engraved plaque near tree
Maintenance and watering contract for one year

Gardener $1,500 – $2,999
100 gallon Bald or Pond Cypress
2 VIP credentials during Bayou Boogaloo 2013
Engraved plaque near tree
Invitation to tree dedication event in spring of 2013
Maintenance and watering contract for one year

If you have ever felt the magic of an afternoon walk, canoe trip, or sunset gathering along Bayou St. John, then please consider making this tax-deductible donation and becoming an active part in preserving this pristine piece of nature in the heart of our city. This is your opportunity to be a part of the magic!

Faubourg St. John

Where Big Dreams Grow!