The Threat
When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ripped through southern Louisiana in August and September 2005, their outer fringes bruised and battered both Oak Alley and Laura Plantations. Massive oak trees lost limbs, ancient pecans split, young trees were bent or uprooted, and flowers and leaves were stripped from branches. In spite of this damage, the landscapes remained intact. Cleanup and pruning -- along with staking and bracing -- helped to save most of the historic gardens and their plants The truly serious damage to these historic properties came in the months following the storms: the worst blow was neither the wind nor the water – it was the devastating economic impact on the tourism industry of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region.
Located just an hour from New Orleans , Laura Plantation relies heavily on visitors from the city to support its operations. Tourists often made the journey upriver to see the fine Creole plantations and to gain an understanding of antebellum Louisiana . With the crippling effect of the hurricanes, that crucial stream of visitors stopped. In fact, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast were so hard hit that it was weeks before basic services began to return. Hotels quickly filled with FEMA workers, utility repairmen and construction crews: there were no accommodations available for out-of-town guests, and there were no visitors to the plantations.
This loss of income has put the plantations in dire economic straights. Employees have been terminated, and operations have been reduced to the basics. Gardeners have been laid off. Expensive pruning, spraying, fertilizing and turf management routines, as well as landscape and gardening projects, have been severely diminished or terminated. Plans for development and expansion have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely. Lack of a labor force has prevented seasonal plantings, and some areas have been totally untended. Given all the years of hard work invested in the development and care of these important landscapes, this is a huge setback and a serious threat to their future.
After all that Laura Plantation has survived, it would be tragic to see its decline or loss. It is only with the return of visitors that Laura Plantation can hope to recover from the shocking aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Tourism directly supports its operations and is the link to employment, restoration, care, maintenance and project development. Without admissions funds and donations, Laura Plantation's future is precarious.
It is vital that the public understand that — while New Orleans and the Gulf Coast took a powerful blow — they are already on the mend. Hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations are open, and transportation is available! And, while there are many areas still in need of repair, the Great River Road and the plantations are safe, accessible -- and they welcome the return of visitors.
