Old South Baton Rouge, 2010

In August of 2010, Baton Rouge Green began attending community meetings of the South Civic Group at the Leo S. Butler Community Center. BRG found enthusiastic community activists from throughout Old South Baton Rouge and was challenged to select a concentrated area for planting from among the many possible sites. BRG coordinated with the Baranco-Clark YMCA, creating a planting plan for their newly installed playground area while arranging to use their site the staging area for the project. The YMCA received flowering, evergreen and fruit trees for its outdoor area—to be complimented by the installation of a community garden by other community organizations. BRG recruited 37 members of the LSU Black Student Union to plant the 35 total trees. The LSU students were trained on proper planting and mulching methods and then were shuttled throughout the immediate neighborhood to plant the remaining trees. Several residents on Peach Street received fruiting and flowering trees, a community garden received fruit trees, and a church and Head Start center were also planted. BRG worked with the Center for Planning Excellence and the South Garden Project to identify some of the planting locations.