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The Common Ground Relief Wetlands Restoration program was created to proactively address the dangers faced by New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region. We work to bring immediate attention to the ecological and political causes and effects of hurricanes and off-shore drilling. The goal is to shed light on where wetlands restoration needs to happen, determine who should be responsible for doing it and then do it ourselves wherever possible.

We are also dedicated to educating as many people as possible and engaging the community in the restoration effort. The wetlands play a critical role in protecting the coast from storm surge and our goal is to continue to work in solidarity with the people of the Gulf Coast.

We continue to advocate for the restoration of coastal areas imperiled by development and engineering projects that continue to erode precious land, endanger wildlife and threaten the livelihood of centuries old communities along the coast.

In partnership with Bayou Rebirth, we have created the Wetlands Restoration Station. In our nursery we grow thousands of bottomland hardwood trees and tens of thousands of marsh grasses that are planted by trained volunteers and resident groups from Grand Isle along the Gulf Coast to Big Branch north of Lake Pontchartrain and the bayous in between during the October to June planting season.

We are actively involved in educating school students and we provide classroom instruction and sponsor field trips with wetlands plantings and conduct water quality testing. We teach students about the crucial role wetlands play in the region's biodiversity and in lessening the impact of flooding in their communities. The native plant material we grow is also used in the re-landscaping of yards of the new homes we build.



Amanda Joseph, coordinator for Common Ground Relief’s Wetlands Restoration and Education program, graduated summa cum laude from Towson University in Maryland with a B.S. in Environmental Science.

She has worked as a public school substitute teacher and has extensive volunteer experience with both Greenlight New Orleans and the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, where she served on projects addressing issues of the environment and education. Amanda has also interned at the Irvine Nature Center in Maryland, where she augmented her knowledge of natural systems and ecological land management principles.

Amanda oversees the maintenance of Common Ground Relief’s tree farm and coordinates weekly wetlands outings, engaging our volunteers in hands-on planting activities and educating them about the importance of this threatened ecosystem.