Metairie Sanctuary on the Lake, Inc.

Aiming to address the impending development of 8.1 acres of green space on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, MSL’s mission statement is “for the local community to buy the land in conjunction with the Land Trust for Louisiana so we can keep it undeveloped and green in perpetuity and enjoy its natural God-given beauty for generations to come as a community legacy.” In December 2013, the group incorporated itself as a state non-profit and teamed up with the Land Trust for Louisiana, a 501(c)(3) organization. To try to raise enough funds to buy the land from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, MSL has initiated a capital campaign under the fiscal agency of the Gulf Restoration Network. Currently, the Archdiocese plans to sell it for probable development into a subdivision, but it is MSL's wish to open the land to the community as a community nature trail. MSL is comprised of a board and committee that’s members represent a varied swath of demographics and geographic locations across the area, reflecting its aim to be a community-wide initiative.