New Orleans City Park (Garden Study Club of New Orleans)

For over 170 years, New Orleans City Park has provided access to abundant natural and cultural resources for residents of the region and tourists from around the world. Parks are vital to our physical, mental, and emotional well- being and City Park continues to be a respite for our community. With thirteen hundred acres of urban forest and 24 miles of walking trails – it is at the heart of New Orleans, and it is accessible to all.In addition to offering an array of recreation and cultural amenities, the park is committed to preserving its natural habitats and biodiversity. The Park is home to the largest grove of mature live oaks in the country, some of which are nearly 800 years old.

Hurricane Ida struck south Louisiana on August 29 as a strong category 4, with maximum winds of about 150 mph. The storm’s wind field was fierce and significant, creating wind-related destruction for eight hours in and around New Orleans. All New Orleans homes and businesses powered by the local energy company lost power- New Orleans City Park lost power on August 29 and regained power on September 6. City Park sustained approximately $2M in damages, specifically impacting our urban tree canopy, facilities, and Park infrastructure. The major winds resulted in Park-wide tree loss, hanging limbs requiring removal, significant debris on the ground plane, and event cancellations at one of the Park’s most famous wedding venues- the Arbor Room.

The New Orleans City Park is integral to our city and region. This grant will support the care, recovery, preservation, and beautification efforts. The restoration grant will assist in debris removal, tree assessments, and planting of various tree species to replace trees lost in Ida. Planting trees to repopulate the Park and completing a tree inventory are the Park’s highest priority. We anticipate completing the project during the new tree planting season in April 2022.