Hey, look at me with a new post! Ha.

This morning my Royal Consort and I went down to Lafitte, Louisiana to volunteer for the annual Christmas Tree Project. We did this as part of a philanthropy project of the dance krewe I’m a member of, the Organ Grinders.

The project is part of Jefferson Parish’s coastal restoration program. Each year parish residents put their discarded Christmas trees on the curb, which are picked up by Waste Management and brought out to the Marina site. Then, volunteer workers, along with parish personnel, volunteer firefighters, and this year, Kenner Police Department, converge on the tree piles and load them onto boats. The boats then head out to the placement site.

At that site there are “cribs” built out in the waterway out of 2×4 wood driven into the muddy base beneath the shallow water. The trees are placed within the cribs, which creates an artificial barrier that allows the land behind it to rebuild as sediment gathers and plant life gets a chance to take hold again.

I’m an outdoorsy type and it was a beautiful cool day so I was definitely in my element. The pelicans swooped low overhead.

Coastal erosion is a massive problem in south Louisiana. It has been slowing in n recent years due to a variety of restoration efforts such as this one, but recent statistics say that we’re still losing land at the rate of about one football field every 100 minutes. That’s a threat to wildlife, historic sites, and the natural hurricane protection that our coastal marshes and wetlands used to provide.

After our work there was celebration with the Cajun band T-Monde, and a delicious fish/shrimp fry with sides. I’ll be picking pine needles out of my clothing and self for some time to come.

Meanwhile, look for me dancing with the Organ Grinders in a variety of Carnival parades this season, including Muses, Tucks, and others. (The OGs are online at http://www.nolaOrganGrinders.com and in an active Facebook community.)

Some info on the Jefferson Parish Christmas Tree Project is available at: http://www.jeffparish.net/index.aspx?page=321.