NEW ORLEANS (press release) — Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB), an anti-litter and community improvement organization, has chosen the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) to receive a Healthy Communities Grant to support CRCL’s litter prevention and waste management efforts.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful has awarded the $5,123 grant to CRCL to help create and execute a project focused on removing litter from the public waterways of Bayou Bienvenu in southeast Louisiana.
“Removing litter from Bayou Bienvenue is crucial for the health of cypress trees there,” said Kim Reyher, executive director of CRCL, in a press release. The coalition is among the groups planting more than 30,000 bald cypress in the Central Wetlands. “By clearing the waterways and surrounding banks, we restore the natural beauty of this area and support the growth of young cypress trees that are vital for stabilizing the soil, improving water quality and providing habitat for wildlife. This effort strengthens our wetlands’ resilience, ensuring newly planted trees have the best chance to thrive.”
KLB’s executive director, Susan Russell, explained that the Healthy Communities Grant is designed to provide funding for local projects and programs bringing about behavioral changes needed to improve the appearance of communities in Louisiana.
“Projects focus on litter removal, litter prevention education and practices, waste management and reduction, recycling, reusing, and refusing, litter enforcement and other related efforts,” Russell said. “KLB seeks projects that have diverse community support, volunteer involvement, collaboration with stakeholders and benefit the community at large.”
Made possible with funding from the state and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, 12 Healthy Community Grants totaling over $98,000 were awarded to eligible organizations, including Louisiana parishes, municipalities, state agencies, governmental entities, political subdivisions, schools, colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations and KLB affiliates.
“CRCL will use our grant to support volunteer efforts to navigate the marsh on kayaks, cleaning debris from the waterway and surrounding banks of Bayou Bienvenue,” Reyher said. “These funds will also be used to install educational signage at the launch and along the publicly accessible route, highlighting the significance of our unique coastline.”
Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s mission is to promote personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana. Through their programs and statewide network of affiliates and partners, the organization provides the tools and resources to prevent litter, reduce waste, increase recycling and beautify spaces. KLB is a nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving a cleaner, greener Louisiana through litter reduction and beautification initiatives. To learn more about getting involved, visit keeplouisianabeautiful.org
