After losing the majority of its pine tree population in the early 90s to the epidemic pine beetle phenomenon, then losing hundreds more to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Mandeville’s Northlake Nature Center is making a comeback.

Since 1995, the 400 sprawling acres of ancient pines, hardwood forests, marshes and bayous off U.S. Highway 190 has been receiving its yearly booster shot through the efforts of volunteers planting thousands of longleaf pine seedlings across the center.

This year is no different. Come Jan. 31 at 9 a.m., volunteers will descend upon the center once again donned with gloves and armed with garden hoes prepared to spend the day planting 1,000 longleaf pine seedlings throughout the selected areas.

Rue McNeill, executive director for the center, said they are always looking for more volunteers, and anyone interested should call 626-1238 or email her at info@northlakenature.org. And if the 31st isn’t good for you, McNeill said they are willing to accommodate any large group of people eager to volunteer their time to restoring the center.

Longleaf pines have always been the preferred choice, McNeil said, because of their hardiness to diseases and parasites.

“They’re not as susceptible to fire and they’re long living trees,” McNeil said. “They’ll live 150 years or more. We have some out there that are 300 years old.”

Other parks like Fontainebleau State Park just down the road from the Nature Center have continued its own efforts with mass plantings of trees like longleaf and loblolly pine treesover the years.

According to McNeill, longleaf pines were once the premier tree of the south, covering more than 90 million acres of southeastern forest. Thanks to urban development, that number is down to less than 3 million acres today.

“Hundreds of plants and animals are particularly suited to the longleaf pine habitat, McNeill said. “Over 30 plans and animal species are currently listed as threatened or endangered as a result of the decline in longleaf pine forests.”

McNeill said there are also cypress trees onsite to be planted around the marshy areas.

The Northlake Nature Center is a nonprofit organization that provides nature-related educational programs for school groups, scouts and the general public. The center is open from sunup to sundown seven days a week and offers over six miles of hiking trails.

The funds used to purchase the trees were collected from donations and support from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, McNeill said.