Louisiana Arbor Day is January 18! See what we’re up to…

January is prime tree-planting season for Louisiana’s climate, and Baton Rouge Green has teed up several planting projects and a culminating luncheon to celebrate Louisiana’s Arbor Day on January 18. The plantings are being implemented through a variety of partnerships that Baton Rouge Green continues to foster with other organizations in the Capital Region, including The Walls Project, BREC, Cox Communications, and the Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet school (FLAIM).

Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. While National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April each year, Louisiana celebrates Arbor Day on the third Friday in January annually to coincide with our most productive planting time during Winter. Trees planted in Louisiana’s cold weather months are more likely to establish and be healthy in the long run, aided by cooler temperatures and increased rainfall, well ahead of the hot, often drier summer season.

“Baton Rouge Green has always made January, the month surrounding Louisiana’s Arbor Day, a celebratory time of outreach, education and planting. Now, with the relationships we have made with groups like The Walls Project and BREC, and private partners like Cox Communications and Citizens Bank & Trust, we can pull together plantings and events with more reach, larger impact, and involving more community members,” says Sage Foley, Executive Director.

“The thrill of teaching school children how to plant a tree, seeing hundreds of volunteers work together for the betterment of Baton Rouge during MLK Fest, and making special memories with our community make this our favorite month of the year at Baton Rouge Green.”

Baton Rouge Green’s Arbor Day-inspired projects will include supporting the first phase of installation for a community farm concept being led by The Walls Project. Located at BREC’s Howell Park on Winbourne Avenue, Baton Roots will serve as an oasis for the Baton Rouge food desert by blending hands-on gardening, education, and creative placemaking to inspire a culture of health and wellness throughout the community. The program, in partnership with Healthy BR, will host 4 acres of farmland, including a citrus orchard provided by Baton Rouge Green’s City Citrus program.

The farm will be unveiled during the fifth annual MLK Fest 2019 (January 18 – 21) as a part of the Walls Project’s city-wide beautification effort on Winbourne Avenue. In addition to the orchards to be planted, Baton Rouge Green has been instrumental in designing the community gardens, as well as overseeing the volunteer-led planting of 22 pine trees during MLK Fest 2019.

In addition, Baton Rouge Green will be leading a planting on the grounds of FLAIM’s campus at the corner of Bawell Street and Nairn Drive on January 15 with support from Cox Communications. FLAIM parents and students, Baton Rouge Green volunteers and dozens of Cox Communications employees will install 28 trees. Cox is providing paid time for their employees to volunteer, donating the trees being installed, and providing a celebratory lunch after the planting for the approximately 50+ volunteers expected. The trees selected for the campus include Oaks, Magnolias, Baldcypress, Spruce Pine, Ginkgo, and Chinese Pistache, mirroring FLAIM’s local roots and international perspective.

“With enterprise-wide goals such as zero waste to landfill by 2024 and carbon and water neutrality by 2044, Cox remains committed to not only being a responsible corporate citizen, but we believe it’s just as important that our employees commit themselves to the conservation of our communities,” says Anthony Pope, region manager and senior vice president of Cox Southeast Region. “Supporting Baton Rouge Green’s mission to sustain the capital area’s trees and green spaces is a win-win partnership for Baton Rouge’s ecosystem and citizens.”

Also during January, a 15-gallon White Oak (Quercus alba) will be planted in memory of John Melancon, founder of River Road Coffees who passed away in October 2018, on the campus of St. Jean Vianney Catholic Church. This memorial tree planting was donated by Beverly Delmas and her group, “Tootsie & Friends,” to “honor John, who was an outstanding Baton Rouge citizen and role model.”

Finally, Baton Rouge Green’s supporters will celebrate 2019 Louisiana Arbor Day with a luncheon sponsored by Annette Barton & Malcom Tucker, Claire & Richard Manship, and Citizens Bank & Trust at LSU’s Rural Life Museum at Burden Museum & Gardens. Author and photographer Bill Guion will be the keynote speaker, sharing his stunning photography and the historical tales surrounding some of Louisiana’s oldest Live Oaks. Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome will present the Arbor Day Proclamation. Lunch will be catered by Heirloom Cuisine.

All dates and information for Baton Rouge Green’s Arbor Day-inspired activities are below.

PLANTING at Walls Project’s Baton Roots farm

Saturday, January 19

Baton Roots community farm, Howell Park on Winbourne Avenue

Baton Rouge Green will oversee the volunteer planting of 22 pines trees as part of Phase I installation of Baton Roots, in conjunction with The Walls Project’s MLK Fest 2019.

PLANTING at FLAIM sponsored by COX

Tuesday, January 15

FLAIM campus (Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet)
4510 Bawell Street

9am – Noon

Students, parents and Baton Rouge Green staff, along with dozens of volunteers from Cox Communications will install 28 trees on the school’s campus. Cox has gathered dozens of employees to volunteer for the planting, donated the funds for the trees, and will be preparing a post-planting lunch for all volunteers.

Memorial Planting in honor of John Melancon, Founder of River Road Coffees

Private

St. Jean Vianney Catholic Church

Gifted by Beverly Delmas and her group, “Tootsie & Friends”

BATON ROUGE GREEN’S 2019 LOUISIANA ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION

Friday, January 18

LSU Rural Life Museum at Burden Museum & Gardens

11:30 am – 1pm

Baton Rouge Green’s Arbor Day Celebration is made possible with generous support from Annette Barton & Malcolm Tucker, Richard & Claire Manship and Citizens Bank & Trust.

Advance reservations for the Arbor Day Luncheon are required. Table sponsorships and individual tickets are available from the Baton Rouge Green office at 225.381.0037. Individual tickets are $75, Table Sponsorships are $800 and include 8 seats. Email us to reserve your spot at info@batonrougegreen.com!