SUNY Oneonta Students Volunteer in New Orleans

Lauren Pennino

A group of 12 SUNY Oneonta students traveled to New Orleans to volunteer their time helping the wetlands restoration service. They spent their days tracking through the muddy marsh, planting native grasses to try and help slow the erosion of Louisiana.

The students work for a nonprofit organization called Common Ground Relief. The main goal of this organization is to plant fast-growing, native plants and removing invasive species in coastal areas caused by hurricanes and development projects that have eroded the land. This group of students planted 2,000 bulrush plants at Pointe Aux Chene Wildlife Management Area.

Assistant professor Wendy Lascell of geography and environmental science, and Linda Drake director of the college’s Center for Social Responsibility and Community, accompanied these students to join the effort.

This is the second consecutive year for the trip and the students are truly making a difference for the appreciative residents of New Orleans.

The trip is supported by a Domestic Intercultural Immersion Grant offered through SUNY Oneonta’s STAR (Strategic Allocation of Resources) program.