YT
Yesenia Trujillo
  • International Studies
  • East Elmhurst, NY

Yesenia Trujillo Volunteers in New Orleans Wetlands

2016 Mar 14

Yesenia Trujillo of East Elmhurst, NY, spent two days gator-crawling through a gooey marsh, planting native grasses to help slow the erosion that's costing Louisiana a football field of coastal land every hour.

Trujillo, who is majoring in International Studies at SUNY Oneonta, took part in a wetlands restoration service-learning project in the Lower 9th Ward from Feb. 27-March 7. Working with a nonprofit organization called Common Ground Relief, 12 SUNY Oneonta students planted hardy, fast-growing native plants and removed invasive species in coastal areas imperiled by hurricanes, development and engineering projects that have eroded land and endangered wildlife.

They were accompanied by Wendy Lascell, assistant professor of geography and environmental science, and Linda Drake, director of the college's Center for Social Responsibility and Community. This is the second consecutive year for the trip, which is part of Lascell's Geography 294: Disaster Geographies of Post-Katrina New Orleans course.

Being immersed in real-world problems, and having the chance to make a difference, was a powerful experience.

"Hearing and learning about the devastation Hurricane Katrina had caused is nothing compared to seeing for yourself the damage left behind in what once were lively neighborhoods," said Trujillo. "I couldn’t imagine that 11 years later, there would still be some serious work to do! One of the hardest, yet most rewarding, days was when we crawled through marshland planting grass. Every hour we lose about a football field of wetlands, which is a vital in helping to prevent natural disasters.This work helped slow down that process, and lunch never tasted so good! If each person were to help maintain something as simple as their neighborhoods, we could all be saving the world, one day at a time."

The trip was supported by a Domestic Intercultural Immersion Grant offered through SUNY Oneonta's StAR (Strategic Allocation of Resources) program.

See photos and learn more on the group's Facebook page.