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Missing New Orleans

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Althea Sandrich

It’s strange to think that just a few short weeks ago, our class was spending the last few days of our Spring Break trudging through the muck and mud of the Woodlands Conservancy trails recording data and counting species. This experience has been one that I will never forget, and not in the stereotypical sentimental way that sounds, but in a real way. I feel like I helped do something during my time in New Orleans.   

We planted gardens for people who don’t have access to fresh food, we helped construct tubs for an organic farmer who provides food in a place that is widely known as a Food Desert, and we contributed to data that is changing the way people look at deforestation and invasive species. We got to experience true New Orleanian traditions. I am lucky enough to have experienced all of this with people I have grown close to in a way that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to.       

I learned about a city and a culture that I never would have been able to learn about if it wasn’t for this trip. I’m 26, and I’m graduating this semester. I am engaged and plan to get married in a few years. Without this class, I really doubt I would have ever been able to come to New Orleans and I know for a fact I would never have had such a rich experience.

Okay, maybe I’ll never forget this trip exactly in the stereotypical sentimental way it sounds. There’s something to be said for an experience like this one, though, and I think I’m justified in feeling this way. 

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?

Looking Back

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Dulce Lopez

About 3 and a half weeks ago my classmates, or should I now say friends and I got on a plane to New Orleans and arrived in Louisiana on Saint Patrick’s day.  We were all excited to explore, learn, and give back to the community of New Orleans.  We all began the class knowing very little about the Hurricane Katrina and the city and people of New Orleans and returned with a much deeper understanding of the impact Hurricane Katrina had on lives of the people of New Orleans and the city itself.  Being back now and reflecting on everything that I experienced and learned  in New Orleans I can truly say that I am much more appreciative of home.  Getting to first hand see how the lower ninth ward has not fully recovered from Hurricane Katrina despite it now being almost a little over a decade after the levees in New Orleans failed was very heartbreaking. However, I found comfort in realizing how optimistic the people of this community are about the future and how alive the diverse culture in New Orleans is despite everything that this community has experienced; I find peace in knowing that through this course I was able to contribute and help  the people of New Orleans though our involvement with community food gardens and our Woodland Trails restoration and vegetation work which plays a part in conserving the wetlands of New Orleans which provide a large ecological service and acts as green and blue infrastructure against natural disastrous such as Hurricane Katrina. While the work that we did was helpful and meaningful it is also important to realize that there is still a lot more work to be done in New Orleans and I definitely plan to go back and contribute even more.

There truly is no other place as unique and as alive as the city of New Orleans.  Being back now family and friends ask what New Orleans is like but the truth is that they don’t know “what it means to miss New Orleans” it is a place one must visit and experience first hand.  The food, people, music, and culture that exists in New Orleans no other city in the U.S. or the world can offer , it is a place like no other and I cannot wait to go back. This is experience and city is one that I will treasure in my heart and memories forever.  My short time in New Orleans defenitly helped me grow as a person.  It is by far my favorite college experience and memory thus far.

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What it means to miss New Orleans

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Michaela Miller

We have been back from New Orleans for about two weeks now, and life has somehow returned to normal routines and busy schedules. However, taking the time to reflect on my experience in New Orleans reminds me how much IMG_6311I have grown from this trip. It’s one thing to learn about a place via photos and lectures, but to really learn about a place you have to go there, talk to the people, and experience the culture, history, politics, and landscape. New Orleans is really such a unique place, everything about it is different than what I am used to. Seeing the powerful Mississippi River, salt water eroded marshes, swamps, and Cypress trees made me appreciateIMG_6430 a new kind of ecosystem. Seeing coastal erosion and extreme wetland loss was very eye opening to me.
Spending time in the Woodland Conservancy reemphasized the importance of conservation. All of these realizations made me happy to be an environmental science major, and I am excited to take what I have learned in this program and apply it to helping important areas like New Orleans.

Building food gardens was also a very eye opening experience for me. Sometimes you take advantage of having easy access to food, but not everyone has that luxury. It was rewarding to be able to help build these gardens and take part in giving a community access to food that we normally take for granted.IMG_6289

Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience in New Orleans. Dr. Anderson really did an amazing job at teaching us about every aspect of New Orleans that you can think of. The most important thing I learned from this trip is to never stop asking why. I learned it is crucial to always stay engaged with what is happening in the world, and even though it may seem impossible, everyone can make a difference.

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Sadie Robbins

IMG_1651Taking a week to reflectIMG_1656
ect back on New Orleans has made me want to go back and do it all again. This was one of the best trips I have ever been on. It was definitely a cultural experience. Before going to NOLA, Dr. Anderson gave many presentations to prepare us. I always got a different image in my head of what New Orleans looked like. From the French Quarter to the Lower 9TH Ward and how hurricane Katrina destroyed many of the districts.

Everything about New Orleans was amazing. The one thing that stuck with me the most was the levee tour because we really got to experience how tragic Hurricane Katrina was. We started in the Lower 9th and walked right up to where the levee had broken. We stood in front of a big concrete wall. Imagining the water coming over that and breaking the levee seemed unreal. It was very emotional because in the lower 9th we still saw houses run down from 10 years ago. It looked as if it happened yesterday. We saw houses slowly being rebuilt. One thing that was very upsetting was learning about the flood insurance. It can take people years to start building because in some cases you have to find the original owners home paperwork. It was sad to imagine the struggles people are still having today.

After visiting the levee, we drove further into the lower 9th. I didn’t think it was possible to get flooding way back there. We stopped at an outdoor museum garden walk like thing that gave a storyline of Hurricane Katrina. Yet another emotional experience. At the garden walk there was a metal post and at the top there was a sign that showed the height of the flooding. It was around 6’5”. Next to it was an abandoned house. It was very depressing. There was a hold in the roof, a car seat in the house, and just a lot of junk shredded throughout.

Final Reflection

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Holly Galbreath

Well we have been home from our trip for about two weeks now and I find myself really missing New Orleans and its people. Although this trip was exhausting it was also incredibly rewarding. One takeaway from this trip is the increased experience in conducting real-world data collection in the field. Constantly cutting our way through thorny blackberry bushes at the Woodland Conservancy was tough but we were rewarded when we collected some useful data for Dr. Anderson, not to mention the occasional adorable armadillo sighting. It was fun and interesting to look at the ratio of native vs. invasive plants in this protected area. We quickly got the hang of plant identification which really got me in the habit of looking at every plant around me, everywhere I went. I remember when we were getting an orientation at one of the community gardens we volunteered for and as I looked around I noticed the two trees right above us were a water oak and a mulberry. I felt pretty proud of myself for recognizing plants outside the field work. Doing the work at Woodlands Conservancy really made me think about the major I have chosen and how happy I am to be pursuing a career where I can do this type of work for a living. I am very happy I chose environmental science for my major and I can’t wait to utilize my skills after graduation.

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The community garden work was also very rewarding. I feel confident knowing all the hard work we put into these gardens are for a good cause. So many people in New Orleans do not have access to healthy food, or they can’t afford it. The gardens we worked on were created specifically for people with limited access to healthy food. Two of the gardens we worked on were already established so we just helped by pulling weeds, laying down mulch, and picking ripe food. However, we also spent an entire day creating an entire garden starting with just an empty plot. We spent hours tilling the land and picking out the grass from the turned soil just to prepare the plots for planting. Finally, after all that we planted over a dozen different veggies. It was a lot of hard work for all of us but in the end we built an entire garden for a man with a physical disability who never would have been able to do himself. Not only does he benefit from this food but so do his neighbors, all of which live in tiny mobile homes and do not have great access to food like this. All of our work gardening has really inspired me to look into gardening at my own house and study what plants grow best in what areas.

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While the field and garden work were truly inspiring, experiencing the cultural side of New Orleans was just as impactful. Every time someone talks about New Orleans they talk about the food, music, celebrations, voodoo, etc.  Before going, I knew all of those things were part of the culture, but I never would have truly understood them had I not spent time in New Orleans. Never have I been to a place with such a prevalent and rich culture. I don’t often visit places with such a long and remembered history. Our cultural experiences involved: shopping in a farmers market, then cooking Creole dishes with that food, listening to several local musicians, exploring French Quarter, and visiting a historical museum. It was so interesting learning about the history of the land and getting to talk to people who experienced one of the worst disasters of our time, hurricane Katrina. As we explored the city we saw more and more devastation caused by the hurricane from almost 10 years ago. It was insane how prevalent the storm still was to the land and the people. I am so grateful for the opportunity to go to New Orleans and help out the local community and study it from an environmental perspective. I really hope to visit again in the future and I wish much luck to the students who attend this trip in the future.

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Day 11 Gumbo

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Lauren Zahn

Last day of NOLA was bittersweet.  I woke up early and attended an ecumenical church service with Sean and Dr. A.  It was held at Lake View Funeral home and the Zion Harmonizers were the musical guests.  It was a very different experience because the whole service seemed to evolve around the gospel music; the pastor said a few words and discussed scripture for a short while. The Zion Harmonizers were also a sight to see. The band consisted of 7 members and they were very passionate about their music. They have been around for 77 years and traveled all over the world to preform. This year they will play/sing in the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

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One of the lead singers from the Zion Harmonizers

After the service we went back to the hotel and we all entered our data from our transects the past few days while it steadily rained outside.  We did not quite finish but we got a lot done.
At 11:30 a.m. we had a de-brief with Dr. A, John, Tom & Diana and discussed the highlights of our trip. We then headed out to the French Quarter and had around four hours to mill around. I was with Dulce, Aspen, Patrick & Sean. We ate lunch at The Gazebo Cafe and walked around to different shops. One of the most unique parts of our day was when we ran into the Easter parade. I caught a carrot and a handful of beads. I also had the best beignet I have ever tasted from Café Beignet. We bought them and took them over to the river to eat.

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Aspen, Dulce, Patrick, Sean & Tearney

On a final note, this trip was an unforgettable experience.  I learned so much about the diversity that runs through the viens of the city.  New Orleans is unique in its people, cultures, foods and music. I was able to gain a better appreciation for local artists and cultural foods. All of the aspects mentioned are the Gumbo (to quote Dr. A) that makes NOLA so special.
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 When reflecting on our main mission, I felt that I learned much more then expected about wetland restoration, the degradation brought upon them by Katrina and the ways we can help to educate others about the wetlands themselves. The service we did in regards to farming and planting was eye opening in the sense that it doesn’t take many people to make make a difference or to show others that growing your own food is valuable in the areas they are living in. I hope that one day I will be able to go back to NOLA and continue to assist people who are in need of a friendly helping hand.

Harmonizing Easter

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admin

Most of our students opted to sleep in during their final day in New Orleans. The predicted heavy rains arrived just after midnight and have not let up since, making a literal and figurative wash of our final field day.

While their compadres snoozed a few of the bravest souls and I shuffled off to the Lake Lawn Cemetery in Metairie for a sunrise Eater Service. Having successfully navigated about half a dozen spinouts and crashes that littered the Mississippi River Bridge and the 10 Freeway, we arrived just before 7 in a heavy downpour.

 

 

He Rose Up From the Dead

Were You There?

People Get Ready

I Shall Not Be Moved

That Old Time Religion

 

Day 10

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Lauren Zahn

Today we woke up and left our hotel at 8.  At 9 we started our transects.  About 10 minutes in it started to rain (more like pour).  When the rain had passed Michaela, Sadie and I made a”How-to” video on how we conduct our transects. In all, we worked for 10 hours today with a one hour break.  We did 8 transects and it went really well.  Overall, the time we have spent in the field has been very productive and a great learning experience.  I hope that tomorrow we will be able to enter all of our data and wrap up this awesome trip on a good note.  

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Day 9

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Lauren Zahn

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Yesterday we went to a non-profit farm called Grow Dat.  They grow crops for the local community and involve high school students in order to educate them and occupy their time after school and on the weekends.  For this service we pulled weeds and placed a plastic covering over the newly crafted rows.  When we were done we went back to the hotel and entered data.  We left at 5 p.m. and ate some fried chicken.  From there we went to see the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra featuring Irvin Mayfield.  It was a great experience because I have never seen a jazz band so large.  The variety of sounds was breath-taking. 
Following the show we were ushered to the VIP section were we met with Irvin and the other musicians.  I talked to the only female performer.  Her name was Emily.  She had been playing the trumpet for 14 years and had been with the orchestra for 4 years.  There was also music so we all danced together and had a great time.  This night was definatly one of the highlights of the whole trip for me.

Day 7

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Lauren Zahn

Yesterday we woke up to a beautiful morning sky, ate our breakfast and headed out to tour the plantation with the owner Foster.

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He told us the history of the buildings and how most of them have been moved from different locations onyo the plantation. We stayed in the old plantation house (it was thrilling and delightfully spooky) it was the original building from the 1800s.

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Foster fed the gators that live in his ponds and we all watched as the massive gators chomped down on a fish snack.

After the fun, we all went to a newly built pavilion and helped to coat it with an oil sealant to make the wood last longer. It started to rain so we headed out and grabed some lunch. Following lunch we went to the hotel, settled in and went to the city garden where we went to the Chinese Festival of Lights. We watched an acrobatic performance and walked around looking at the lights. The highlight of the night was everyone reading their Chinese sign (based upon birth year) and all posing by our animal.
From there we went to check out another local musical artist and ended the night with fresh beignets.