NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ecological Restoration Services, LLC (ERS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC of Baton Rouge, Louisiana has formed a collaborative relationship with the Restore the Earth Foundation (REF), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit based in Ithaca, New York. ERS will grow and supply native plants and trees for REF’s Louisiana coastal restoration activities at its 640-acre coastal plants and grass nursery located at Point Aux Chene, Louisiana.
Since December 2010, ERS has supplied native wetland plants to REF’s Gulf Saver Bag initiative successfully restoring damaged and degraded wetlands in coastal Louisiana.
Ecological Restoration Services is now scaling up to support the production of EKOgrown® native trees that will reforest Louisiana in the Fall 2012 and beyond. This reforestation is a continuation of Restore the Earth Foundation’s successful large scale reforestation initiatives that to-date have reforested over 30,000 acres with 1.6 million native trees along the Gulf Coast, supported by the USDA Farm Service Agency and Louisiana Natural Resource Conversation Service (NRCS) with Federal and matching corporate, philanthropic and private funds.
REF’s EKOgrown® plants are grown by a proprietary process developed in collaboration with Rootmaker®. The process optimizes plant performance and eliminates girdling/circling roots and stunted growth that is prevalent in container grown plants.
“This high performance plant material will be labeled “EKOgrown® by ERS.” EKOgrown® plant material will be available for purchase exclusively from ERS for estuarine, marsh, barrier island and other vegetative restoration projects along Louisiana’s fragile coastline.
P.J. Marshall, Executive Director Development for REF stated that, “The collaboration between REF and ERS provides the opportunity to grow EKOgrown® plants in Louisiana for restoration, keeping funds in the community.”
Elliott Bouillion, CEO of Resource Environmental Solutions, noted, “Louisiana’s 3 million acres of coastal ecosystems are vital to our economy and way of life; however, the health of these resources is in decline. Louisiana's wetlands provide habitat for over 5 million migratory waterfowl annually and also serve as a home to many endangered or threatened species. The collaboration with REF directly supports both healthy coastal ecosystems and a sustainable quality of life for Louisiana’s coastal residents.”
About Ecological Restoration Services, L.L.C. (ERS)
Ecological Restoration Services (ERS) develops, supplies and installs native species of grasses, plants and trees that enable restoration activities throughout the Gulf Coast region. ERS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Resource Environmental Solutions, L.L.C. RES develops and supplies ecological offsets to help companies obtain required permits for unavoidable project-related impacts to wetlands, streams and habitats. Learn more about RES at www.res.us.
Restore the Earth Foundation, Inc. (REF) is a not-for-profit organization that is the catalyst for environmental conservation, protection, restoration, awareness and stewardship through collaborative partnerships.
REF’s approach is proactive and practical, combining innovative all-natural solutions, partnerships and volunteer hard work with community based models that get “boots on the ground” for successful restoration. www.restoretheearth.org
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