News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu     www.selu.edu/news Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 12/16/03   SOUTHEASTERN ROUNDING UP CHRISTMAS TREES FOR MARSH RESTORATION        HAMMOND -- You may have been happily warbling “O Christmas Tree” during the holidays, but after December 26, you’re probably moaning “Uh-oh...Christmas tree!” as you face the task of getting rid of your leftover decoration.        Don’t just dump that tree on the curb or in a landfill, turn the annual disposal chore into a good deed, suggests Fred Stouder, a research associate at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Turtle Cove Environmental Research Station.        That now-tired tree that brightened your holidays can help rebuild Louisiana’s valuable marsh areas and prevent land loss on our coast, Stouder said. “These trees help fight erosion and establish animal habitat extremely well,” he said.         Stouder said Southeastern has been participating in a Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Christmas tree marsh restoration project since 1992. “For the restoration to be successful we need public participation” in the annual tree roundup, he said.         “Every year thousands of Christmas trees are discarded in the landfill where they take up valuable space and serve no purpose,” Stouder said. “If these trees are brought to one of the collection sites they will be used to protect our coast and our wetland areas.”        According to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, the trees are used to construct brush fences that reduce wave energies and allow the capture of suspended sediment. Stouder said the trees are also useful in the preservation and enchancement of habitat for wetland animals such as ducks.        Stouder said tree collection sites in Hammond and Ponchatoula will be open from December 26-January 10. In Hammond, trees will be collected at the city recycling center, 500 W. Coleman Street. The Ponchatoula site is the city’s N. 4th St. maintenance facility. The facility is behind the  Ponchatoula  library, located on the corner of N. 5th St.and Range Road.         Stouder said the trees collected at the sites will be used in marsh restoration projects in Tangipahoa and St. John the Baptist Parishes.        “We can only accept real trees without flocking, plastic wrapping or ornaments,” he said. ““Please bring your trees where they will do a great service for us all and keep them out of the already crowded landfill.”        If you have any questions about the project, contact Stouder at  549-5355. Return to News Releases