NEW ORLEANS – Local reforestation organization Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL) and the Rotary Club of Mid-City are planting 150 trees in the Mid-City, Treme, and Lafitte neighborhoods on Feb. 24 in SOUL’s largest tree planting to-date.
Approximately 70 households in these neighborhoods will have trees planted on their property by more than 150 community volunteers.
“Planting trees is a tangible and affordable way to protect ourselves against the many forces that we are facing here, from flooding to the obesity epidemic,” says Susannah Burley, SOUL’s founder and executive director. “We’re excited to be partnering with Whole Foods Market and local rotarians, who both want to advance change on a community level.”
SOUL plants large, native trees like Bald Cypress and Live Oak, which can absorb up to 880 gallons of water a day per tree. “In addition to preventing flooding, h ealthy, mature trees can increase property values by up to 20 percent and reduce household energy usage by 35 percent,” Susannah adds. To receive a tree on your property, or to volunteer, please visit www.soulnola.org or call 504-616-6888.
To learn more about SOUL, to request trees in your neighborhood or to volunteer visit www.soulnola.org.