Recently, Redwood Creek Wines in Modesto, CA held an online contest called the Greater Outdoors Project ^[1] which awards a grant related to a project most deserving of promoting enjoyment of the outdoors. I was happy to see that City Park won the most votes for their effort to revitalize the Couterie Forest in the park.

Established in 1979, Friends of City Park is dedicated to the preservation and improvement of 150-year-old New Orleans City Park. Quietly nestled at the center of City Park’s 1,300 acres is a hidden gem—Couturie Forest. Destruction from Hurricane Katrina-spawned tornados and floodwaters killed 95 percent of the forest’s trees, disrupting the habitats of alligators, box turtles and over 100 species of migratory and resident birds. Friends of City Park ^[2] is committed to transforming the damaged woodland into a verdant and thriving ecological destination. The revitalized Couturie Forest will offer 62 acres of preserved land featuring eight native ecosystems. New Orleanians of all backgrounds and income brackets will enjoy the seclusion and beauty of the woodland right in the heart of the city.