// PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE //

TreesAcadiana is busy getting ready for the tree planting season. TreesAcadiana is planning an Arbor Day Planting on January 20th along Coulee Mine at the bridge on West Bayou Parkway. The Lafayette Consolidated Government is in support of this project and has been most cooperative in making this planting a reality.

Looking over areas planted in the past gives one a feeling of accomplishment as trees at the Cajundome, Pelican Park, University at Pinhook and Ernest Gallet School thrive, adding beauty and grace to our landscape. We are hoping you will take this opportunity to renew your membership and join us at the Arbor Day planting on January 20th .

Come out to help plant a grove of nine Live Oaks on either side of West Bayou Parkway along Coulee Mine. This should be an attractive addition along a heavily traveled thoroughfare in our community.

A concern for keeping Acadiana treed.
Sarah Schoeffler, TreesAcadiana President

Looking Back . . . . .

TreesAcadiana and Ernest Gallet Elementary School (EGES) of Youngsville, LA, joined forces in celebration of Arbor Day on the brisk morning of January 2004 to plant 12 trees on the spacious, but primarily barren playground. Ernest Gallet Elementary is a beautiful fairly-new school located smack dab in the middle of an abandoned sugar cane field. Its semi-circle entrance faces the much traveled Hwy 92. Principal Virginia Bonvillain envisioned trees for the edge of the playground to act as a sound barrier from the much traveled Hwy 92. Ms. Bonvillain agreed to rally the parents and children of EGES to provide man power for the tree planting project for which TreesAcadiana would provide the expertise and trees. All of the trees were planted and staked within approximately 2 hours in January 2004…

More than 2 years have gone by since that planting. Every morning I drive my daughter, Allison, to Ernest Gallet Elementary. Since the planting a gravel road has been constructed around the left side of the school due to the school morning traffic problems created on Hwy 92. So, each morning we slowly wind our way around to the left side of the school and get onto the gravel road. The gravel road runs parallel to all of the trees that TreesAcadiana and EGES volunteers planted. As we slowly inch our way toward the school entrance, Allison points out the particular tree that she helped to plant and we notice how much the trees have grown in such a short period of time.

My mind briefly begins to envision how beautiful the playground will be in just a few more years….the trees will act as a sound barrier to the much traveled Hwy 92; they will provide plenty of shade for the children and they will enhance the beauty of the property. And, yet one more positive thing…Allison and I will always remember doing this project together as a mom and daughter. The combination of TreesAcadiana expertise and Ernest Gallet manpower made this event a huge success. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller

—Lana Mixon