Category: Blog

Earth Day is coming and we will celebrate with two of our partner organizations. Ouachita Green and Black Bayou Lake NWR are hosting a free family fun day at Black Bayou.

The date is Saturday, April 21, and the hours 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast will have a table. If you can help staff the table, please let me know!

I think we can now afford to purchase a fun give-away with our name on it. If you have a suggested item, let me know that, too.

Here’s hoping we have spring weather that day, but Black Bayou is beautiful in any weather. Come on out and bring your family to celebrate all things green, natural and earthy!

I have been AWOL from blogging for at least a couple of weeks, and for that I apologize. The best way to explain why is to tell you a bit about my current solo exhibit.

I installed “Creation Considered: Creature Encounters of the Fifth Kind” last Friday morning at Northminster Church, 2701 Lamy Lane in Monroe, and it will be up until March 13.

On the flyer, I describe the exhibit as a “theology of creation in images and texts,” but if you are uninterested in theology, I think you will still find the images worth a visit. So far, the folks at Northminster have responded with gratifying words of praise.

The exhibit is comprised of 23 framed images, ranging in content from wildflowers (like the one above) to critters (a snake, a ‘gator, and more) to landscapes and skyscapes. Along with these images are carefully selected quotes and poetry, the quote sources ranging from Jesus to Charles Darwin. A few of the poems are mine, having been inspired by my encounters with creation.

The church opens weekdays at 9 a.m. and is open until at least noon. If you want to go in the afternoon, it would be good to give them a call to make sure someone will be there: (318) 388-3717.

After completing its run at Northminster Church, the exhibit will be available to additional venues. Let me know if you know a place that might like to have it.

Two February events to get on your calendar, both at the Union Parish Museum of History and Art, in conjunction with their “WILD!” exhibit featuring the work of nine regional wildlife artists, including our own Charles Paxton:

Kelby Ouchley, noted local wildlife biologist, author and radio personality, will talk about American alligators Thursday, February 1 at 4:30 p.m. at the Museum. Ouchley wrote a book on the subject titled American Alligator: Ancient Predator in the Modern World. He draws upon more than 30 years of experience with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and he was instrumental in the establishment of Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

I’m sure many of you have also heard Kelby on KEDM Public Radio with his “Bayou Diversity” show. These essays have also been collected into the book Bayou-Diversity: Nature and People in the Louisiana Bayou Country.

The second event to put on your calendar features “yours truly.” I will speak at the museum February 17 at 1 p.m. about Louisiana Master Naturalists. Thanks to Stephanie Herrmann, our LMN-NE Treasurer, for suggesting this. I’ll make another post about this event in a couple of weeks.

Union (Parish) Museum of History and Art is located at 116 N. Main Street, Farmerville, in the Union Chamber of Commerce building. For more information, call 318-348-2005.

I will not bore you with the saga. It’s done. Our request for recognition of exempt status as a nonprofit has been filed with the IRS. But…. if any of you ever hear me considering out loud starting another new nonprofit that requires applying for 501(c)(3) status, please tie me up and gag me until the impulse passes!

You’ll recall that a few weeks ago, I photographed a great blue on the Tensas NWR that I recognized was injured when it flopped and hobbled into the woods. The “more” I want to share with you today is the information I got from Chris Doffitt about what to do if we see injured wildlife.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries maintains a list of Wildlife Rehabilitators on its website and calls upon these people when injured wildlife is reported to them. I have now perused the list and it turns out we have several people in our area: Dale Barry of Monroe rescues raptors, Carmon James of Monroe rescues small mammals, Keith Cascio of West Monroe rescues mammals.

I plan to contact these folks and ask them to speak at one of our quarterly meetings. If any of you happen to know any of them personally, please let me know.

Would you like to become a wildlife rehabilitator? Then the LDWF has a Wildlife Rehabilitation Program for you! Check it out. I think that would be a great thing for a Master Naturalist to do.

If you have attended any meetings or perused this website, you know that Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast is a chapter of the statewide Louisiana Master Naturalists Association.

Although we as a chapter will do things that are not directly related to certification, producing Certified Master Naturalists is part of our mission. If you are interested in becoming a certified Master Naturalist, put this event on your calendar NOW:

1st Certification Workshop, March 10, 2018

This first workshop will equip participants with some basic skills they will need to become Master Naturalists, including but not limited to outdoor ethics, observation, journaling/recording in words and images, interpretation, contributing to databases such as iNaturalist, and more.

All of the details have not yet been settled, but the workshop will be 5-6 hours at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge and will include both classroom and field time. Participants need to be prepared to walk! Nova Clarke, BBNWR Ranger, and me, Bette Kauffman, will be primary workshop leaders, but I am also pursuing a 3rd person to help with some aspects.

Because the skills taught at this workshop are so basic to everything else, this will be a required workshop. If you want to become a Master Naturalist, you must complete this workshop.

More information about the certification program and this first workshop will be forthcoming. For now, just get it on your calendar!