Eight-year-old Tessa Gordon, of Baton Rouge, left) helps her friend Ze-Xuan MA plant a tree during the Arbor Day celebration at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden on Jan. 18. Ze-Xuan is the daughter of Chang-Le MA and Jing Li of China, right. (Photo by Sonya Gordon)

News Release Distributed 01/30/14

BATON ROUGE, La. – More than 700 visitors enjoyed balmy temperatures and bright skies at the Arbor Day celebration at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden on Jan. 18.

One of the featured activities allowed visitors to plant trees in Burden Woods as part of a reforestation effort to replace damage from Hurricane Gustav in 2008. Each person who planted a tree was given the GPS coordinates to be able to return to the tree over the coming years to mark its growth.

“We have 380 trees to plant this year,” said Botanic Gardens resident director Jeff Kuehny. “This will give us a total of about 1,000 trees in the four years since we’ve started the Arbor Day program.”

“Burden Center is a treasure not only for Baton Rouge but for all the citizens of Louisiana,” said Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture. “We’re pleased to see how many people have come today to enjoy all we have to offer.”

In addition to planting a tree, visitors were offered tree seedlings to plant at home. The seedlings were being provided by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Along with tree planting, activities included hiking a 5-K trail, a scavenger hunt, story time for children, lumberjack demonstrations and children's tree climbing.

Assistance in conducting the activities was given by the Burden Horticulture Society and many other community organizations.

Sponsors included Entergy, Crosby Land & Resources, Bancorp South Insurance Services, Inc./Wright & Percy Insurance, Bofinger’s Tree Service, Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts, Slaughter Logging, LLC.

Other supporters included Acadian Ambulance, Arborgen – Richard O. Barham Supertree Nursery, Associated Grocers, Baton Rouge Green, Britton & Koontz Bank, N.A., Community Coffee Company, ExC!TE, Junior League of Baton Rouge, Inc., Louisiana Forestry Association, Weyerhaeuser and Whole Foods Market.