City officials announce start of ReTreeLC program

Lake Charles city officials joined Firestone Polymers and Resource Environmental Solutions to announce the start of ReTreeLC, an initiative that includes planting more than 350 trees at three city parks.

As part of the ongoing recovery from Hurricanes Laura and Delta, the trees and more than 2,000 native grasses will be planted at Hillcrest, Grace & Medora and Buddy Prejean parks. Firestone donated the trees, with company and city employees volunteering to plant them over the next few days.

Mayor Nic Hunter said one visual that stuck with him immediately after the hurricanes was seeing many of the trees in front of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church on Lake Street ripped away. He said planting these new trees is another necessary step in rebuilding after Hurricanes Laura and Delta.

City Council President Rodney Geyen said the tree-planting effort will also benefit stormwater management in Lake Charles.

“These trees represent signs of hope and new life and help us usher in the holiday season and the new year,” he said.

Greg Defrates, Firestone Polymers director of operations, said this effort is one way to contribute to sustainability within the city. Firestone Polymers is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas.

The planting will be overseen by the Baton Rouge-based Resource Environmental Solutions, along with Dana Brown and Associates, a landscape architecture firm.

Hunter said the city also plans to discuss a tree giveaway in April, also provided through Firestone Polymers. He encouraged residents to take part in the ReTreeLC initiative and said other programs will be available to teach about planting resilient, sustainable trees.

“We want to encourage people to plant the right types of trees, to plant them in the right fashion and to plant them in the right location,” he said.

For more on ReTreeLC, call the city at 491-0903.

SportsPlus

Local News

Family fabric: Quilting exhibition offers insight to generations of storytelling, culture and artistry

life

McNeese president’s honor list announced for fall 2024 semester

life

Walls can talk: Artist says art is essence of humanity

McNeese Sports

Selling a winning pitch

Local News

House committee address citizen concerns over carbon sequestration in Louisiana

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Don’t worry. Trump is fixer

Local News

Mayor talks progress, what’s ahead for the city

Local News

EMS Academy, Acadian Ambulance will be offering EMT classes in LC

Local News

City Council candidates for District C state their views

Local News

Capstone at the Oaks senior living complex nearing completion

Local News

FBI says it found 2,400 new JFK assassination records

McNeese Sports

Baseball Preview: Putting pieces in place

McNeese Sports

Shumate rallies Cowboys by ETAM

Business

Trump raises tariffs on aluminum and steel to 25%

Crime

Sheriff issues warrant for Texas man accused of theft

Local News

Parish facility management team strengthening building infrastructure

Crime

LC woman killed in crash with intoxicated driver

Local News

If FEMA didn’t exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?

life

Program uses locally grown produce to help students with healthier eating habits

Crime

2/10: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost

Local News

Eagles deny Chiefs a three-peat

Local News

Trump says he is serious about Canada becoming 51st state

Business

Names in the News: People shaping the future of Lake Area business