Louisiana Purchase Cypress Legacy

Top Ranked Mississippi River Bridge Location Threatens Old Growth Cypress in Iberville Parish

Old growth Cypress in new Missisippi bridge approach path

                                            (currently highest ranked Alternative E-11-4)

                    LeBlanc family stewardship of its cherished forest includes its youngest protector

Likely the largest and oldest concentration of mature cypress on the East Bank of Iberville Parish has been recently inventoried near the town of Sunshine. The LPCL has identified borings taken from several trees on the site and found many or the trees over 11 feet in circumference to be 200+ years in age, with many likely meeting the LPCL landmarked thresh hold of 219 years—“Alive in 1803”. Two of the trees from which borings were taken are likely over 300 years old. The LPCL has awarded one of the trees in the projected bridge approach right of way LPCL Plaque #78—it is estimated at 300—330 years old. See map pinpoint for tree #5 in map link to map below)

 

Many of these cypress likely were alive during the Revolutionary War, when Bernardo de Galvez and his troops marched through Plaquimines Point on their way from New Orleans to Fort New Richmond in Baton Rouge. The property “ is part of the original land grants to settlers by the Spanish government in 1767… because this property is located in a bottomland hardwood low lying area, it has never been farmed or utilized for grazing livestock” (La Wildlife and Fisheries Natural Areas Registry assessment) Laura Comeaux, descendent of the original owner of the site,  portrays the historic connection between the current owners and the original owers in the 18th century, who effectively became stewards of the 200+ year old cypress landmarked by the La. Purchase Cypress Legacy:

"The forest is named after Alphonso Etienne LeBlanc, Sr., the grandfather of the eldest living land-owners.  The family has appreciated the wildlife and beauty of the forest, using it for hunting, bird-watching, and nature walks among the old-growth trees.  The land, which has been in the family for over 200 years, tells the family history too.  The "land genealogy" goes like this:  Alphonso Etienne LeBlanc, Sr. inherited the land from his mother, Marie Caroline Terrell, who inherited the land from her mother, Marie Eugenie Lambremont, who inherited the land from her father, Michel Pierre Lambremont (the grandson of a French soldier) who moved to the Sunshine area and married Marguerite Pelagie Breau (of Acadia) in St. Gabriel in 1793 and purchased this land, which was one of the original Spanish Land Grants given to the Acadians by the Spanish government in 1767". 

 

"Augusto Ferrer-Delmu's painting, "La Marcha de Galvez" depicts Bernardo de Galvez and his ragtag army marching through Louisiana's swamp area, [including Plaquemine Point], to clear the British from Fort Bute and Fort New Richmond in Baton Rouge"

As mentioned above, the historic and ecological significance of LeBlanc Track has also recently been documented by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Natural Area Program, which has determined this site worthy of inclusion in its Louisiana Natural Areas registry. Additionally, the Old Growth Forest Network has included this site in its nation wide registry of significant old growth sites in each parish/county throughout the U.S. www.oldgrowthforest.net/private-forests 

  

Top Ranked Proposed Bridge Site Threatens Many Old Growth Cypress

 

The La Purchase Cypress Legacy was notified of the threat to these venerable cypress by the LeBlanc family, which has for generations owned 60 acres of unfarmed bottomland hardwood in Plaquemine Point near the settlement of Sunshine, on the East Bank of Iberville Parish. 

All three top ranked site alternatives for the proposed new Mississippi River Bridge near Baton Rouge would cross the Mississippi River at Plaquemine Point-- the East Bank of Iberville Parish, and the currently top ranking site proposal (E-11-4—third row in chart below) would have bridge pylons located in the area of the landmarked cypress at the northern end of the LeBlanc and adjacent Cox property.

 

This LA DODT chart ranks Alternative site E-11-IV (third row)as having the lowest impact on wetlands (“1” is least impact/most favorable), despite the considerable amount of old growth cypress that would be impacted on the LeBlanc and Cox properties on which bridge pylons would be constructed) 

 

  

The yellow arrow indicating the proposed bridge approach shows the location of bridge pylons on one of the three alternative bridge sites (E-11-4) that will directly impact the cypress recently landmarked by the LPCL. See map below:

Many old growth cypress have been identified on the Leblanc and Cox tract  tract, including  in the northern section of the site, where the bridge approach for Location alternative E-11-IV would be located

See the link below for specific locations of these cypress, most of which are estimated to be 200 years or older, based on ring counts from borings.

 

Click here for a link to the map

 

 

LeBlanc Old growth cypress deserve stewardship, not destruction

 

The trees from which borings have been taken represent only a fraction of the mature cypress that would be impacted on by the construction of the Mississippi River Bridge approach if the  currently highest ranked Alternative E-11-4 were chosen as the preferred site of the new bridge. As DOT’s environmental impact statement moves ahead on the preferred bridge alternatives, those of us committed to preserving the ecological heritage of Louisiana should make our voices heard.

 The LeBlanc family’s determination (as reflected in their participation in LA Wildlife and Fisheries Natural Areas  Program) to save the old growth cypress (as well as other mature bottomland hardwood habitat) on their property from unwarranted destruction is an inspiration to the La Purchase Cypress Legacy campaign. We at the LPCL believe, the ecological and natural heritage costs of bridge construction at this proposed site do not justify Alternative E=11-4 as the highest ranking  and other decision makers need to be reminded that the mature/old growth forested wetlands identified on the LeBlanc and Cox property  have significant value as storm buffers and carbon capture sites exceeding that of the other highly ranked bridge alternatives. We'll keep our readers informed on public comment opportunities as the LA DOT's Environmental Impact statement on the bridge alternatives progresses.

LeBlanc-Comeaux family members in front of LPCL registered tree (Plaque #78 on tree), estimated at 300-350 years old, based on tree ring count from boring. Tree is in right of way of bridge approach in high ranked alternative E-11-4

Preliminary Estimated Age derived from boring ring counts (See link above for map location these trees)

1. 30.292700, -91.179587 circ. 12’ 7” at 4.5 ft from ground (corrected to 11’ 7” to account for fact that original measurement taken around buttress) 

Boring: 8.75 inches
Rings counted: approx 68 Estimated age: 140 yrs 

Tree 2. 30.299195N, -91.179045W circ. 10’ 8” at 4.5 ft from ground (corrected to 9’ 8” to account for fact that original measurement taken around buttress) 

Boring: 6.75 inches
Rings counted: approx 87 Estimated age: 210—230 yrs 

3. 30.299077, -91.179009 circ. 16’ 0” at 4.5 ft from ground (corrected to 15’ 0” to account for fact that original measurement taken around buttress) 

Boring: 8.25 inches
Rings counted: approx 84 Estimated age: 230-260

 

4. 30.299707, -91.178546 circ. 13’ 6” at 4.5 ft from ground (corrected to 12’ 6” to account for fact that original measurement taken around buttress) 

Boring: 7 inches
Rings counted: approx. 58 Estimated age: 180--200yrs 

5. 30.299615, -91.177575 circ. 13’ 9” at 4.5 ft from ground (Actual measurement above buttress was 12’ 3”) 

Boring: 7.25 inches
Rings counted: approx 109 Estimated age: 300-330 years 

 

 

Tree 6. 30.298865, -91.176961 circ. 14’ 9” at 4.5 ft from ground (Actual measurement above buttress was 11’ 6”) 

Boring: 3.5 inches
 Rings counted: approx 65 Estimated age: 330-360 years 

TREE #7 GPS 30 17.987N   91 10.747W

Circum: 11’4”

Boring: 6.5”

Rings counted: approx. 85

Estimated age: 200–240 years

 

TREE #8GPS 30 17.987N   91 10.747W

Circum: 10”4

Boring:5.25”

Rings counted: approx. 46

Estimated age: 125–155  years

 

 

TREE #9

Circum: 10”4’

Boring:3.25”

Rings counted: approx. 44

Estimated age: 190–230  years

 

TREE #10

Circum: 11”7’

Boring:7.5”

Rings counted: approx. 91

Estimated age: 210–240  years

 

TREE #11 (Cox)

Circum: 8”4”

Boring:7.5”

Rings counted: approx. 95

Estimated age: 90–120  years

 

TREE #12 (Cox)

Circum: 10”4”

Boring:13”

Rings counted: approx. 190

Estimated age: 220–250 yrs