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Tree Farm



Lara Semeniuk
University of Toronto, 2009

Problem
Like many of the neighbourhoods located near Lake Pontchartrain, Lakeview suffers from low elevations (as low as eight feet below sea level), unstable organic soils, and a high water table that restricts infiltration. As a result, the area is subject to significant flooding. The area suffered substantially during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and conditions are not optimal for rebuilding: vacancy remains high.

Proposal
The same conditions that make Lakeview less than ideal for rebuilding provide an excellent environment for urban forestry. The area's vacant lots could be used for cypress farming. These hydrophilic trees absorb large quantities of water, and they also tolerate flooding, so the forest lots could serve as a water storage basin for the rest of the neighbourhood. Keeping the forested lots wet would ameliorate the forces that cause ground elevations to drop, and tree harvesting would provide new economic resources for the city.