Couturie Forest Restoration

Couturie Forest, located within New Orleans 1,300 acre City Park, was heavily damaged by Katrina. It destroyed most of the forest's large trees and shade canopy. As a result, invasive species like Chinese Tallow have proliferated.

The park hired a local landscape architecture firm to develop a comprehensive plan for the forest. They were assisted with the input of approximately 20 forest stakeholders. Pans are to nearly double the size of the forest; from 33 to 60 acres. The forest will highlight eight different ecosystems, including Coastal Prairie, Coastal Marsh, Eastern Pine Savannah, Bottomland Hardwood, Upland Hardwood, Live Oak and Palmetto Forest, Cypress and Tupelo Swamp, and Riparian Edge

They have begun to reduce invasive species, this will be followed by plans to plant hundreds of trees in the Fall of 2009. As the trees grow, they will help "knock down" or eliminate invasive species.