Marsh Restoration Program
Fred Stouder coordinates the Marsh Restoration Program focused on planting seedlings and building levees from old Christmas trees. The program, supported by federal dollars, has been going strong since 1995, building levees that stretch hundreds of yards and then planting thousands of trees in those levee areas each year.
Program Priorities
The program has two main priorities. The first priority centers on building levees that prevent soil erosion and that create a viable environment and land for new plants to thrive.
Levee building involves gathering old Christmas trees that have been delivered to Galva Canal via large dump trucks. The trees are hoisted onto the pontoon boat for transport to the sites where new plantings will later flourish. The pontoon can hold approximately 400 trees, and generally 200 yards--two football fields--of levee that will sustain the new seedlings is formed with approximately 2,500-3,000 trees.
The second priority focuses on planting seedlings to hinder and potentially stop the marshes from turning into open water spaces. The plants also help to build land and prevent soil erosion. Adult volunteers, college students, school groups, and others have given countless hours to the tedious work.
If you'd like to join with one of these volunteer groups, or if you have a school group or organization interested in volunteering, contact Fred Stouder [fstouder@selu.edu]. Learn more about Fred and his work with Turtle Cove.