New Orleans collected 9,000 discarded Christmas trees and airlifted them into coastal wetlands; the programme has restored marsh equal to nearly 200 football fields

New Orleans collected 9,000 discarded Christmas trees and airlifted them into coastal wetlands; the programme has restored marsh equal to nearly 200 football fields

New Orleans is giving used Christmas trees a second life by dropping them into coastal marshes to help slow land loss. The bundled trees trap sediment, reduce wave energy and support marsh grass growth. Scientists say the method helps restore wetlands in selected areas but is only one part of Louisiana's broader coastal protection efforts.