Acorns of Hope - Save the Gulf Coast!!

I've had the honor of meeting Bob Thibodeaux and having Bob's Tree team of experts work to save the Live Oak on our property. His Acorns of Hope project kicks into its second year of riding to plant Live Oak saplings along the Gulf Coast. As these young trees strengthen over the years to protect the coastline from erosion, our own personal involvement and education is critical in the preservation success. Please visit the links below to learn more about the work. Be sure to tell plenty of your friends and support the project. Thanks!




Last week Bob visited La Printaniere Montessori School here in Baton Rouge to teach the children about the mighty Live Oaks. I attended, and The Advocate was there reporting too. I was so excited to see the story was published today in the People section.

Acorns of Hope


Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING/
Church Point arborist Bob Thibodeaux answers a question from Chase Henderson, 8, about growing live oaks to replace ones lost in recent hurricanes.


Arborist planting trees along coastal Louisiana with help from bicyclists
By ED CULLEN
Advocate staff writer
Published: Nov 13, 2008 - UPDATED: 11:23 a.m.

Church Point arborist Bob Thibodeaux practices tough love at his 100-acre tree farm northwest of Lafayette.

His live oaks grow without the benefit of fertilizer or water, other than rainfall. If a tree in Thibodeaux’s stock at Bob’s Tree Preservation blows over, Thibodeaux doesn’t set it back up. He yanks it.

“They only get watered at the time I put them in the ground,” Thibodeaux said. “Now, boy, sometimes I’m praying for rain.”

Thibodeaux’s trees go through the equivalent of Marine boot camp. If a tree makes it out of his nursery, it will survive in nature.

After many old live oaks were blown down in hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Thibodeaux dedicated himself, with the help of volunteers, to planting 2,000 trees a year for the next five years across coastal Louisiana.

Full story





Country Roads Magazine
November 18 - November 23
Knowing Nature
Acorns of Hope
Statewide, La

Cycling arborists will pedal across Southwest Louisiana for the tree planting and education initiative, Acorns of Hope, which features various events along the way. Led by Cajun arborist Bob Thibodeaux, an array of tree advocates including elected officials, 4-H'ers, community volunteers and the cycling arborists plan to plant two thousand live oaks during a 250-mile bicycle ride ride along hurricane-damaged coastal Louisiana. Doubing in size in its second year, the ride will feature daily stops to help restore ecosystems in the following cities during the tour: Grand Couteau (November 19), Abbeville (November 20), Morgan City (November 21), and the Houma-Terrebone area (November 22 and 23).
Everyone is invited to wish the cyclists well at the kickoff November 18, starting with breakfast at Opelousas General Hopsital at 7:30 am, and followed by an 8 am departure to Seven Sisters Live Oaks in Washington. Opelousas will hold activities that day including public tree education and planting. Due to the recently damaged cycling paths, organizers had not quite pinned down all of the details by this writing, so to find out more, call (337) 232-8733 or go to www.bobstree.com.




God's Groundskeeper
The message for those called to serve comes in many forms. For Bob Thibodeaux it was a pecan in his pocket.
Melinda Walsh
MARCH 2008

Henry Rollins: Uncut in New Orleans

My dear friend Max just made me aware of this documentary, so here I am checking out Henry Rollins reporting on the healing and suffering of New Orleans three years post-Katrina. I remember that fire in me of years past listening to Henry with Black Flag, and now that fire stirs in the context of my New Orleans connection. It powers an outward evolution of my relationship to the city that brings me back in deeper with my friends there, and the city's people, causes, and life.



Henry Rollins Uncut: New Orleans
Next on IFC
Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 8:00 AM EDT
Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 2:15 PM EDT

Henry Rollins Uncut: New Orleans Episode Details
IFC Episode Synopsis
2008 | 55 min. |

Three years after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, Henry Rollins ventures to New Orleans to examine the city’s current condition first hand. Avoiding the tourist centers, Henry is overwhelmed by the lack of progress being made in the surrounding areas. In his search for answers, Henry instead discovers a fresh slate of devastating problems that now threaten this community post-Katrina. Even as tourism approaches pre-storm levels, tens of thousands of residents find themselves dealing with the depression of a city still living with the wreckage of the levee’s breach and current victimization by a surge in violent crime. Through exclusive interviews with author Jed Horne (Editor of leading New Orleans newspaper, the Times Picayune, during Katrina), city officials like Cecile Tebo (Mental Crisis Coordinator, NO Police), and Jim Bernazanni (FBI), it becomes glaringly obvious New Orleans still needs help. Henry’s stage performance at the legendary Tipitina’s music venue is thus a tribute to the people of New Orleans who continue to persevere. Henry also has the opportunity to meet with music legend Irma Thomas, the “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” who explains how the music community has been affected and the role they continue to play in the aftermath.

Find out more at the official site.



Check out clips 1-5.

Trouble the Water - The film is out now

While reading up on human rights issues for the Gulf Coast at Amnesty International USA I learned about the documentary Trouble the Water. Visit http://troublethewaterfilm.com/, check out some background and their "Take Action" page, and see the film if you can.