Wetland Planting

Last Wednesday, the four of us worked with Colleen, from Bayou Rebirth, and 25 volunteers from Clif Bar to replant a marsh on Bayou Lacombe.  In the morning Colleen gave a presentation on the importance of wetland restoration.  

The Mississippi River used to deposit sediments on the wetlands of southern Louisiana. Levees built to prevent flooding also prevent the deposit of soil, so now that soil is washed out into the Gulf of Mexico.  Additionally, the wetlands themselves are eroding.  Without sediments to replace what erodes, the wetlands of Southern Louisiana are shrinking.  Approximately a football field of wetlands is lost every half hour.

This is obviously a grave problem.  Planting in the wetlands is an easy way to combat erosion.  On Wednesday afternoon we went to a marsh on the lower end of Bayou Lacombe, near Lake Pontchartrain.  We planted marsh hay (Spartina patens) and smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora).  Both kinds of grass tolerate flooding and salt.  

The planting was successful and a lot of fun.  All the grass was planted, and no tools, boots, or volunteers got lost in the mud.  Hopefully the grasses will take root, spread, and hold on to the soil.