Lafitte Greenway Management Plan

SMM developed an adaptive management approach for the Lafitte Greenway, a linear park and multi-use trail running through the heart of New Orleans, to address ongoing maintenance concerns. The plan was created in collaboration with city agencies and nonprofits who are all invested in making the greenway successful into the future. The implementation of these strategies will restore and expand the urban tree canopy, support pollinators, reduce maintenance over the long term, and prevent the overgrowth that has inhibited the bioswales’ functionality and has been a community visibility and safety concern. This landscape restoration project ensures that the greenway’s landscape is sustainable, safe, and beautiful into the future.

The Greenway GROW! campaign engages a team of city partners, nonprofits and volunteers to fundraise for, and then install, plant, and maintain the cypress forest and pollinator meadows called for in the plan. The first 100 cypress trees of the 1,000 tree goal were planted in honor of Earth Day in April 2022. As of spring 2023, over 500 new trees have been planted along the greenway.

The project was featured in Landscape Architecture Magazine. For the full article: https://landscapearchitecturemagazine.org/2022/08/08/how-to-grow-a-greenway/