Keep Saint Bernard Beautiful launches affiliate, seeks volunteers and funding for tree-planting

Dennis Bradley of St. Bernard Parish government told the St. Bernard Parish School Board General Committee on Feb. 11 that a Keep Saint Bernard Beautiful affiliate has formed to reduce litter, expand recycling and plant trees across the parish.

The group, incorporated as a 501(c)(3) and affiliated with the statewide Keep Louisiana Beautiful program, has a 15-member board and is pursuing cleanup events, a parishwide tree-planting grant and school-based environmental education. “We started this affiliate, Keep Saint Bernard Beautiful,” Bradley said, “and our intention is to clean up Saint Bernard. We have a very serious litter problem in this parish.”

Board members were briefed on projects already completed and planned: cleanup work during the statewide Love the Boot Week, a wildflower garden at Torres Park, a parish cleanup near Nunez Community College, and a tree-planting plan for Val Rees playground. Bradley said the group applied for a grant to buy trees valued at about $45,000 and that individual community members can sponsor a tree for $100; he said the group had raised roughly $5,000–$6,000 so far for the Val Rees project.

Bradley described three standing committees (recycling, litter abatement and beautification) and listed community partners including the Chamber of Commerce, Miro Foundation, St. Bernard Tourist Commission, Nunez Community College, the Kiwanis Club and local neighborhood associations. He said the affiliate plans school outreach using curriculum aligned with state standards and provided activity books to board members to distribute to students. “We have people that can come into the schools and talk about environmental issues, recycling, beautification, litter abatement and even coastal issues,” Bradley said.

Board members asked operational and enforcement questions. Millie Harris asked whether the parish had applied for a state trash-receptacle grant; Bradley said they did not meet the last deadline but are pursuing funding to buy receptacles. Diana Dysart asked whether callers to the state hotline attached to a provided car coaster could remain anonymous; Bradley said the reporter’s name is required when filing a litter complaint with Wildlife and Fisheries or local constables and justices of the peace, who handle litter enforcement. Several members encouraged student and volunteer participation and thanked the new affiliate for resurrecting a parish-wide beautification effort.

The presentation closed with Bradley offering contact information and volunteer opportunities and with board members expressing support for school involvement in the affiliate’s cleanup and tree-planting work.