Southeastern Louisiana University is again asking area citizens to give the environment a gift after Christmas.
Despite a difficult year of Hurricane Ida and the on-going pandemic, Turtle Cove and its partners will again provide Christmas Tree Recycling.
Discarded Christmas trees can be dropped off and used for wetland restoration rather than throwing them out with the trash.
Although grant funding from the state for Christmas tree recycling in many areas ended years ago, local partners stepped up to keep the project going. This marks the 27th straight year Southeastern has conducted its recycled tree program. Approximately 40,000 trees have been deployed through the Southeastern program in the past 26 years.
The trees will be used in a variety of ways, creating new habitats for wildlife and, of course, helping to control erosion along various shorelines, most recently occurring on Galva Canal and in areas around the research station itself on Pass Manchac and the boatshed/parking lot area at Galva Canal.
This practice also provides hands-on environmental education opportunities for students and other volunteers who help with the project.
Collaborating in the project for the seventh consecutive year is the Southeastern Sustainability Center on North Oak Street, which will serve as a drop-off point for area residents to leave their used Christmas trees. Other primary partners include the city of Hammond and Middendorf’s Restaurant in Manchac.
Trees can be dropped off beginning Jan. 4 through Mardi Gras from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hammond Maintenance facility, located at 18104 Hwy. 190 next to Piggly Wiggly Supermarket. Trees should be dropped off using the gate on Falcon Drive next to Piggly Wiggly.
The Southeastern Sustainability Center, located at 2101 North Oak Street, will collect trees beginning Jan. 10 through the end of the month from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8 to 10 a.m. on Friday.
A Turtle Cove trailer drop off site will also be maintained at Middendorf’s Restaurant beginning Friday, Jan 7, so customers going there can also drop off trees.
No flocked trees will be accepted, and all trees should be stripped of any ornaments, lights, tinsel, stands, nails and screws, etc.
For more information visit the website at www.southeastern.edu/turtlecove.
