Louisiana Master Naturalists of Greater New Orleans

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) is excited to have you join us to CRUSH Louisiana's coastal threats! The C.R.U.S.H. Project, or Communities Restoring Urban Swamp Habitat, plants trees along Lake Maurepas and in the Central Wetlands Unit in St. Bernard Parish. With support from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Lower 9th Center for Sustainable Engagement & Development, Entergy, Apache, and Pontchartrain Conservancy, this project will help restore and sustain the quality of wetlands within the Pontchartrain Basin watershed and facilitate conversations about coastal restoration with local stakeholder communities.

Important information:

This volunteer event will be conducted in shifts. Please register below for the 9 AM - 12 PM shift. Please register at this link for the 12 PM - 3 PM shift. Please register at both links to volunteer for the whole day!

Directions and additional details will be provided to registered volunteers via e-mail a few days prior to the event.

Please note the minimum age for volunteers is 16. No one under 16 will be allowed to participate in any capacity, sorry, no exceptions.

Snacks, water, and sports drinks will be provided to volunteers.

All equipment (gloves, shovels) will be provided to volunteers. CRCL provides waterproof boots on a first come, first serve basis.

Volunteers will be planting trees in the marsh, which is a wet and dirty environment. Volunteers should expect to get wet, as the water can very easily overtop one’s boots. This is a strenuous activity, so physical fitness is required..

Volunteers will be required to wear masks upon arrival but can remove them when we are spread out and working. CRCL will provide extra face masks and hand sanitizer. Volunteers will be temperature screened at the registration table and sent home if temperature exceeds 100 °F.

Please Note: Volunteers typically work in groups of 2 or more during the event. We recommend registering in pairs with someone in your household or who you already interact with frequently. Volunteers will have the option to work alone, but are not guaranteed their own sled to transport trees and equipment.

We require that all volunteers please register to let us know if you plan to attend. If any additional members of your family/friends are attending, then they must also register.

Volunteering on our coast is a wonderful way to spend a day and we would like to ensure that everyone gets a chance to have a great experience.

If, after registering, you find you are unable to attend, please notify us of your cancellation.

If the event registration is full, you can request to be added to the waitlist.

If you'd like to bring a group to volunteer, please let us know, and we'll try our best to accommodate you.

For inquiries about any of the above, you can contact our Native Plants Program Coordinator, Gardner Goodall, at gardner.goodall@crcl.org.