[00:00:04]
WE ARE HERE AT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE MARSH, UH, RESTORATION PROJECT.
WE WANNA THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WHO'VE COME OUT, OUR FIREFIGHTERS OUT THERE DRIVING THE BOATS.
TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 150 VOLUNTEERS COMING TO THROW CHRISTMAS TREES INTO BOATS AND THEN GET IN THOSE BOATS AND RIDE OUT TO WHAT WE CALL CRIBS, WHERE WE PLACE THE TREES IN KIND OF A LINEAR FASHION SO THAT THEY MAKE ALMOST LIKE A FENCE LINE THAT WILL HELP CUT DOWN SOME WAVE ACTION.
RECYCLING THE CHRISTMAS TREES KEEPS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF TREES OUT OF OUR LANDFILLS AND PUTS IT IN THE MARSH TO HELP CREATE, UH, RESTORE OR PROTECT THE WETLANDS THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.
I MEAN, WE NEED THIS AREA OF LA FEET AND EVEN GRAND ISLE, BUT DEFINITELY LAE.
IT IS, IT IS CONNECTED TO OUR MAIN LAND IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
IT'S OUR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE WHEN STORMS COME THROUGH.
SO THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT MATTERS FOR THE WEST BANK OR THE EAST BANK.
IT'S MATTERS FOR EVERYTHING IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND REALLY THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA.
WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THE AMOUNT OF TREES THAT WE'RE GONNA LAY OUT IN THE MARSH.
THIS YEAR IS PROBABLY THE MOST WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THE TREE LOT COMPANIES, THE CHRISTMAS TREE WHERE YOU BUY YOUR CHRISTMAS TREES TO GET THEIR UNUSED INVENTORY.
SO OF ABOUT 5,000 TREES, WE HAVE PROBABLY A THOUSAND CAME FROM THE TREE LOT.
SO THAT'S A NEW INITIATIVE WE HAVE.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO, THIS PAST YEAR, REBUILT MANY OF THE CRIBS THAT WERE DESTROYED AFTER IDA.
SO IF YOU, ONCE THESE TREES GET LOADED ON THE BOAT, THEY GET TAKEN OUT INTO THESE CRIBS WHERE IT GETS, WHERE IT LIMES IT, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REBUILD A LOT OF THAT.
SO THE TREES THAT WE COLLECTED, THEY GET BROUGHT DOWN HERE TO LOWER LAE, GET STACKED UP.
WE GET A LOT OF HELP FROM OUR STREETS AND PARKWAYS DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE TAKING THE TREES FROM AN AREA RIGHT HERE ON GOOSE BAYOU, AND WE TAKE THEM OUT IN BOATS TO AN AREA ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE PEN.
SO IT'S AN AREA THAT USED TO ACTUALLY BE A COW PEN, AND NOW IT'S FILL FILLED WITH WATER.
THE DEPTH OF THE WATER IS PROBABLY ABOUT TWO TO THREE FEET DEEP.
AND SO WE'VE GOTTA USE THESE SHALLOW BOATS.
AND SO IT'S REALLY JUST ONE OF THOSE INNOVATIVE PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE CAN COME SEE THE COAST THAT WE'RE PROTECTING.
WE REALLY WERE BATTERED BY IDA.
UH, IN THIS AREA WHERE I'M STANDING AHEAD OVER 11 FEET OF WATER EXACTLY WHERE I'M STANDING, BATTERING AND DESTROYING OUR WETLANDS.
THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS HELP PUT SEDIMENT BACK THAT WAS LOST ON A STORM LIKE ITEM.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOTTA KEEP DOING MORE AND MORE.