NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Thousands of used Christmas trees have been dropped into a wildlife refuge in New Orleans as part of a decades-long coastal restoration effort.
The Times-Picayune (https://bit.ly/2nkhytG) reports that National Guard helicopters lowered the nearly 5,000 trees collected after Christmas into Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge marshlands this week.
The trees act as a breakwater, protecting the city from storm surges and erosion, while also providing habitat for fish and other wildlife.
Bayou Sauvage has been using Christmas trees for over 20 years. Manager Shelley Stiaes says the trees have helped build the refuge back up since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
At 25,000 acres, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says Bayou Sauvage is the largest urban refuge in the country. It hosts aquatic animals, alligators and about 340 bird species.
___
Information from: The Times-Picayune, https://www.nola.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.