NEW ORLEANS, La. (WWL-TV) – Trees that once lit up the holidays now lighting the way for a bright future in the bayou.

Pon Dixon has been working the Marshes of the Bayou Sauvage national wildlife refuge for more than 20 years. In that time, he’s seen the Christmas tree recycling program flourish to where it is today.

“If we go to the original spot where we started this project we have probably 100 or so acres that have been establish as a result of those Christmas trees,” Dixon explained

For two decades, the City of New Orleans, National Wildlife refuge and Louisiana Army National guard have been working together to use recycled Christmas trees to help the growth of Marsh grasses.

“Should we have the unfortunate event of a hurricane breaching the levee, reestablishing this marsh would actually slow down the storm surge” Dixon said.

Shelley Stiaes also explained that when the Marsh isn’t taking on flood waters its protecting the wildlife.

“It creates habitat for water fowl, fish, crabs, the alligators” Stiaes said.

150 bundles of trees were lifted by the National Guard and every year that number grows. This year they were almost able to double the number of trees they got. Last year the city collected about 6,000, this year over 11,000 Christmas trees are now creating a habitat.

“That means that people are hearing about this, they are seeing the benefits of it and they want to be a part of something great that’s going on within the city of New Orleans” Dixon said.

Stiaes said “It’s a way that we can get help and it’s a way that the citizens can feel connected to nature, to their environment and to a place that’s right in their back yard.”