Cypress Trees Planting Project To Help Hold Off Salt Water Intrusion

A partnership between coastal advocates and private business is leading to the planting of 35,000 bald cypress in Terrebonne Parish Wetlands. Senior adviser to the America’s Wetlands Foundation Sidney Coffee says it’s part of a string of smaller projects.

The trees have been grown to tolerate salt water, and Coffee says they have an additional layer included to protect them from a notorious menace.

“Wrap them so they are nutria-preventive. That’s what happens to a lot of the young bald cypress trees. The nutria come and eat them because they will eat just about anything.”

Coffee says she hopes the success of this partnership will inspire more private companies to take an interest in saving the coastline.

“It’s kind of a ‘win-win’ for everyone and it’s a great pathway to get the private sector to start investing in projects with NGOs.”

The project is being taken on by the America’s Wetland Foundation, Resource Environmental Solutions, and BHP, whose funding the project.