ESA is partnering with a local organization in New Orleans to offer our attendees a hands-on opportunity to give back to the community hosting us this year. Environmental sustainability is a critical issue for New Orleans, and this field trip is an opportunity to spend an afternoon in the city working on a project that will have an immediate impact.

The Acorn Farm is an organic, non-profit urban farm and community space in the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood of New Orleans. The farm is dedicated to creating a community built around food access and education, "where residents have access to produce that is truly local, affordable, and delicious." Volunteers will support this organization in their mission by engaging in a range of gardening activities including planting, seeding, and weeding. To find out more about The Acorn Farm and the work they do visit their website at https://www.theacornfarm.org/

This trip is limited to 40 people, so if you are interested, sign up early. We hope to make service trips a regular part of each year's meeting program and expand them to include more people. Here is an impact report [PDF] from a similar event.