Christmas ended weeks ago and yet you are still staring at the now decaying husk that is your Christmas tree, slowly regretting your decision to go “old fashioned” this holiday season. As you sit and watch it drop more needles than Kanye West does rhymes you may be looking forward to the annual Shreveport Green Christmas tree pickup event for salvation. Alas, for the third year in a row we unfortunate SBC residents will have to do without this program.

The program began 16 years ago with the intention to help slow the progress of the ever-eroding Louisiana coastline. Before it ended, townsfolk were able to drop their tree off at different locations so that they’d be sent to Lafourche, St. Bernard and Terrebonne parishes. The final step is stacking the trees in brush fences and submerging them at selected sites such as a small marsh island in Fourchon, La.

The purpose of all of this was to form an obstruction that eased the force of the surrounding waves while simultaneously capturing sediment and thus slowly building a small land mass. Shreveport Green also referred to it as a “hurricane barrier.” In fact, over the years, countless volunteers would take time to travel to the site and help maintain the barriers.

While there is a great concern for coastal erosion, this particular program was unfortunately placed on the lower end of our state’s priority list. Due to budget cuts the project eventually discontinued in 2011.

Shreveport Green is currently working with people in south Louisiana to hopefully see its return.

“There is still an interest from the citizens but now we just need to find a place to do it,” said Shreveport Green’s Executive Director Donna Curtis.

Fortunately for us in the SBC area there is an alternative. Shreveport Green has joined forces with Eco Mulch and Sod, located at 6105 St. Vincent Avenue. Although the trees sent there will simply be mulched instead of traveling south to rebuild the coast, at least they are not simply taking up space at a nearby landfill.

Curtis is thrilled by the cooperation while holding a bright outlook for the return of the tree recycling program.

“We are thrilled to be partnered with Eco Mulch and are hopeful for the return of the program so we can continue to maintain and restore the coastal region.”

Locals are invited to drop off one tree per family at Eco Mulch and Sod on Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m.

– See more at: http://heliopolissbc.com/Article/oh-christmas-tree-oh-christmas-tree-oh-where-can-i-recycle-thee#sthash.uxUb85Dc.dpuf