March 25, 2025 | From City of New Orleans
City Partners with State, Federal Agencies on Annual Christmas Tree Drop to Restore Coastline
The City of New Orleans' Office of Resilience and Sustainability (ORS), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Army National Guard, will conduct the City’s annual Christmas Tree Drop tomorrow.
WHAT:
Bundled Christmas trees will be airlifted by the Louisiana National Guard into the Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge to help create new marsh habitat. After the aerial drop, USFWS staff will use airboats to move the trees into their final positions.
This year, residents placed their trees curbside in January 2025 to participate in the Christmas Tree Recycling Program. The City’s Department of Sanitation collected approximately 9,000 trees — an increase from 8,000 last year.
WHEN:
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Media availability will be ongoing at two locations:
- Recovery One Landfill, where trees are bundled and staged.
- Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge, where trees are placed in the marsh.
Media requesting water access to the tree placement site must text (985) 285-0060 to coordinate.
WHERE:
Helicopter tree pick-up site: Recovery One Landfill 17000 Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans, LA
Water access and boat boarding site: Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge Boat Launch 17160 Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans, LA
WHO:
Representatives from the following agencies will be on-site and available for interviews:
- City of New Orleans, Office of Resilience and Sustainability
- Cheryn Robles, Environmental Affairs Administrator
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
- Shelley Stiaes, Deputy Project Leader
- Louisiana National Guard
- Kayla Meadors, Chief Warrant Officer 2
WHY:
For more than 25 years, the Christmas Tree Recycling Program has helped restore an area of marsh equal to approximately 330 football fields. These trees also help create critical habitat for birds, fish, crabs, crawfish, and shrimp.