Couturie Forest Restoration

This project involved the preparation of a master plan for a major 63-acre (25 hectare) natural area and arboretum within New Orleans' largest park. Building on the site's attributes, the arboretum includes a range of different natural communities linked by trails and boardwalks, water bodies, a major educational and interpretive layer and facilities for visitors and passive recreation.

This project emphasizes careful site analysis and a diversity of program. Two existing soccer fields are woven into the nature preserve that sits in the heart of the larger park. A variety of landscape experiences are created in close proximity, ranging from large group use during the soccer matches to bird watching to educational tours.

The approach the design team took to the site began with a comprehensive comparison and analysis of the site conditions before and after the Hurricane Katrina. The team recorded every tree 10cm caliper in the 62-acre site using handheld GPS units. Information about the hydrological connections between the water systems on site and their water quality, especially the limiting factor of salinity which increased after the storm, was collected. From this work, along with an analysis of the cultural, operational and educational opportunities provided by the project, a strategic framework for how to approach the park's renewal was developed.