Nearly 30 hazardous trees were removed from Luling’s Rathborne Park in September, but an industrial gasses company stepped in to make sure that residents will enjoy plenty of shade in the future.
Rathborne Park is a popular recreation spot for those in Luling, but a tree fell on park equipment in August, which caused County Agent René Schmit to take a closer look at the area.
Schmit found that nearly 30 trees needed to be taken out to ensure the safety of residents who visit the park. Several trees had insect damage and some lacked enough canopy to support the size of the tree, which led to decay.
“There was a safety factor involved because when you have issues of decay, you never know when that top branch will give way,” Schmit said. “These were trees you wouldn’t want in your yard.”
More than half of the trees that were removed were near the walking path.
On Nov. 12, Praxair donated, and planted, 13 oaks and two crape myrtles in Rathborne.
Those who planted the trees were part of Praxair’s leadership development program. During the program, recent graduates take part in structured training opportunities and hands-on work.
Carl Cantrelle, a senior facility manager at Praxair, said the leadership candidates get together about four times a year in various communities and they are always looking for a local project to complete.
“I heard about the park and the trees they had to cut down, so this was a nice fit,” Cantrelle said. “Praxair is real big on sustainability.”
Duane Foret, director of St. Charles Parish’s Parks and Recreation Department, was very appreciative of Praxair’s decision to focus on Rathborne Park.
“As we were cutting down the trees, it was depressing because this was one area we had developed that had a lot of beautiful trees,” he said. “To have these trees replanted is a wonderful feeling.”
Councilwoman Julia Fisher-Perrier said the new plantings will take time to flourish, but will be “big and beautiful for our children’s children to enjoy.”
“It’s unfortunate that we had to cut down some of the larger trees, but safety is our No. 1 concern at the parks,” Fisher-Perrier said. “We are lucky to have had this donation to replace the foliage.”
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