TreesAcadiana has become a familiar advocate for tree preservation and participant at Lafayette’s signature festivals.

Have you been wondering about what tree to plant in your yard?  TreesAcadiana makes it their practice to provide information and potted seedlings at Lafayette’s most popular festivals.  These days, they are not hard to find.  A new 30-foot banner has become part of their signature marking presence at functions all around Acadiana, whether at volunteer tree plantings, public meetings or festival give-aways.  TreesAcadiana offered information and free trees at the Lafayette Parish Master Gardener Association’s Spring Plant Sale (including a plant swap on Saturday, April 16 from 8 AM until 1 PM, at Ira Nelson Horticulture Center), the Earth Day Festival (at Vermilionville on April 17 from 10:30 AM until 4 PM), and will also provide tree trees to be given out by the Boy Scouts at Festival International, April 28 through May 1.

TreesAcadiana hosted a strong audience interested in preserving and recognizing the value of trees to our community at its annual general meeting.  Steve A. Shurtz, President of Louisiana Urban Forestry Council, also serves as Urban Forestry and Landscape Manager for the City of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish.  He addressed the group with many kudos and caveats regarding the care of trees in Acadiana.  He emphasized that the best way to avoid the oversight of any tree’s contribution to the infrastructure is to realize its value on the front end, in the planning stages, and have everyone onboard and thinking about this.

TreesAcadiana aims to embrace this advice and keep the momentum going.  Shurtz applauded the recent community successes, mentioning the Youngsville Oak and the Mr. Al Oak of New Iberia, which is slated for a move from its current location to allow the connection of the DOTD road project.  He shared that free software suite at itrees.com will facilitate the goals of TreesAcadiana to establish a canopy count with ease and reliability.

Shurtz shared that Governor Foster had put into place a policy whereby the state would not cut down significant trees in a right of way.  With this in mind, there exists a rational base for making this a law for public trees and encouraging tree and landscape ordinances to protect this natural part of our state’s infrastructure.  Those who might question this may be surprised to learn of the innate value to health and safety afforded to a community when trees remain in the landscape and are planted wisely.  As Sarah Schoeffler has noted many times, a new tree will take a long time to be the size of one that is 250 years old and that we will never see the trees that we plant, today, reach its heights in character and capacity to protect like the trees that are currently standing.

Along with that, TreesAcadiana has noted that disregard led to the decimation of the giant cypress trees that once existed in Louisiana.  Shurtz shared that in 1939, the bald cypress was chosen as the state tree “about the time when the giant cypresses were hitting the water for the last time.”  TreesAcadiana has been considering this peril and does not want the same fate for the live oak.  George Rodrigue, at the unveiling of his painting of the Youngsville Heritage Oak” told of recognizing their beauty as soon as he returned to Louisiana from California and spent three years painting nothing but the oak trees.  Since Louisiana is one of the best places for live oak and the value they offer us in fortification of our coastline and the habitat they provide to the vast number of songbirds from the Yucatan exhausted from their long migration, there is reason to resonate the importance of this tree for future generations.

The Urban Forestry Council members carry a card worth noting.  It reads, “During a hurricane, the right trees in the right places may be your best friends.”  Shurtz warned, when asked, that every year, especially when hurricane season is near, people are told they are in danger because of their trees by tree cutters who may be misguiding.  Shurtz warned, “Be very careful.  Make sure to have a licensed arborist who is trained and skilled to check your trees and do the work that is needed.”   If you have someone without liability insurance and they drop a branch or tree on your neighbor’s home, or if they have an accident or die in the process, you are liable.”

TreesAcadiana says that many trees targeted by these door-knockers are cut down prematurely.  The group echoes Shurtz’s message “Look up,” and get to know your arborist.   Be proactive to save our trees, to put emphasis in the planning stages to save trees.  Science has proven their ecologic benefit.  Data also supports the need of trees for mental stability and peace of mind, and here, in Louisiana, trees are a part of our culture.  Songs like “Under the Green Oak Tree” by living legend D.L. Menard substantiate this.

The Louisiana Urban Forestry Council offers workshops such as “Building Green Cities” and a host of valuable information on their website, including assistance and information related to hurricane preparation at www.louisianaurbanforestry .org or call 985-686-9391.

TreesAcadiana continues to collect candidates for Acadiana’s Ten Largest Live Oaks throughout the year.  Citizens are encouraged to keep their eyes open within the eight-parish region defined eight-parish as Lafayette, Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion for candidates and to submit these to the organization.  TreesAcadiana also continues its support of the Youngsville Heritage Oak project whereby a landmark live oak was saved from destruction.  At the meeting, TreesAcadiana commended Ginger Rabalais for offering an alternative route around the tree.  Thanks also went to the anonymous contributor of a $200,000 loan to TreesAcadiana for funds required by Youngsville City Council to fund the associated cost of the plan modification and any contingent costs.  TreesAcadiana is selling raffle tickets for one of George Rodrigue’s Youngsville Oak prints for $2 each to help pay back the loan.  More information about TreesAcadiana, check the group’s website:  www.treesacadiana.org.