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Significantly, the school, he explained, was also caught up in the save the wetlands issue, in particular a project to restore the Cypress Triangle just north of the Lower Ninth Ward. The school, in fact, was hosting an Army Corps of Engineers public meeting that very evening to discuss whether to give the Bayou Bienvenue Restoration Project, as this project is known officially, high priority financing. Bayou Bienville is the name of the actual bayou that the Cypress Triangle, a once bountiful Cypress swamp that is now badly decimated, forms a part of.
Known to the Army Corps of Engineers as "PPL18 PROJECT NOMINEE: Bayou Bienvenue Restoration Project", here is the Corps’ actual May, 2008 fact sheet on the nominated project:
Problem
Over the past years the wetlands in the area has eroded due to altered hydrology/impoundment, substance, and saltwater intrusion. The majority of the area is very shallow open water littered with ghost cypress logs and stumps.
Goals
The goal of this project is to create and maintain wetlands in the triangular area adjacent to the headwaters of Bayou Bienvenue.
Specific Goals:
1.) Creation of 440 acres of bald cypress – water tupelo swamp through marsh creation.
2.) Planting area with bald cypress and water tupelo
3.) Restore the historic ridge along Bayou Bienvenue
4.) Divert treated municipal effluent from the local treatment plant to enhance the created swamp.Proposed Solutions
Dedicated dredging of sediments from the Mississippi River to create emergent wetlands in the triangular area adjacent to the headwaters of Bayou Bienvenue. Following the placement of dredged sediments, and freshening through beneficial use of disinfected, secondarily treated sewage effluent, the area would be planted with bald cypress and water tupelo. The treated effluent will be provided by the Orleans sewage treatment plant, contiguous with the restoration site. The area will be monitored to optimize the correct water levels and salinities for bald cypress and water tupelo growth and regeneration." (source)
An image of what the revived Cypress Triangle will look like.
(image source)
There are many organizations promoting this project, including Common Ground Relief, the Sierra Club, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish Government, the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association and others. Even ABC’s New Orleans affiliate WGNO 26 ran a nice news piece promoting restoration on Dec 10, which you can view by clicking here.
You will note from the video that MLK will be playing a part in this through its science classes. Steve Martin also explained to me over the phone that the school has written a grant to do a mini-eco project on the wetlands and that MLK students, in conjunction with LSU, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and Tulane University, would be monitoring the restoration of the Cypress Triangle once it is approved. As of Christmas however, I am told, the Army Corps of Engineers has still not made a final decision.
The fascinating, symbolic 3D wall mural in MLK's facade
I also talked to Malik Rahim in late October about this over the phone, and he pointed out how Common Ground Relief has already done some prep work for the project. They have been growing grasses, cedar and cypress trees and already planting some of them in the Bienvenue Bayou bordering the Lower Ninth Ward. Malik said he was working with the Army Corps of Engineers on this as well since, of course, the project is much too large for any one group, Malik estimating that it will be from six to twelve years to complete it. He also noted that, unfortunately, the City of New Orleans, has yet to show any support. But the rest of the world can help.
Malik Rahim speaking to students and faculty from Tauro Law School in the Ward.
