The City of New Orleans has teamed up with the Louisiana National Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the City’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability to launch its annual Christmas Tree Drop program. This unique initiative involves airlifting thousands of recycled Christmas trees into Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge to rebuild critical marsh habitat and protect vulnerable wildlife.
The trees, collected curbside from New Orleans residents in January, will be strategically placed to slow coastal erosion and provide nesting grounds for wildlife. This year, a total of 9,000 trees will be airlifted, up from 8,000 in the previous year. The program has been running for over 25 years and has helped rebuild marsh areas equivalent in size to 330 football fields.
After collection, the trees are bundled at Recovery One Landfill before being airlifted by the National Guard to the marsh. Upon arrival, USFWS teams use airboats to move the trees into position, where they help trap sediment, reduce wave action, and recreate vital ecosystems for various wildlife species. This initiative highlights the importance of recycling and environmental conservation efforts in the city.
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