Category: Upcoming Events

Our LMN-NE Events Committee invites all members to participate in a new nature-focused conversation salon called Wild Talk. It will be a zoom conversation, with focus topics provided along with the emailed zoom invitation.

The first topic is “Winter in Louisiana,” an interesting topic to be sure. The first edition of Wild Talk is scheduled this Thursday, January 13, from 5:30 until 7 p.m. The zoom invitation has already gone out, but if you’re a member and can’t find your email invitation, contact Charles Paxton.

The sessions will begin with a short quiz–no grades issued, it’s strictly for fun! I will not be able to attend this first edition, but I already have some questions in mind that I will submit to Charles.

Participants in the conversation will share outdoor experiences of a seasonal nature, what kinds of wildlife and natural phenomena can be seen and where at this time of year, and so forth. If numbers warrant, the break-out room feature of zoom meetings will be utilized to make it easier for all to share in a small group setting.

The purposes of Wild Talk are to get to know each other better and continue our learning and sharing of information as naturalists. These sessions might well also spawn ideas for actual outdoor excursions.

As personal testimony, I can say that those of us who registered for 2021’s virtual statewide Rendezvous did two sessions like this and had a blast. I highly recommend it.

If you want to submit questions for the opening quiz, send them to Charles Paxton via email <lmnacoms@gmail.com> by Wednesday, January 12, for inclusion in Kimmie Paxton’s Power Point.

So… tell the truth now! Who knew the plant in the photo to be Summer Huckleberry (Vaccinium elliotti)?

We have things to celebrate! Sunday, Dec. 12, 2 – 4 p.m., we will gather to graduate 3 new Master Naturalists, have a quickie 4th Quarter meeting, and celebrate the holidays with food, gifts and fun.

A new wrinkle: We will gather this year at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, 3706 Bon Aire Drive–the church on the bayou. There’s an outdoor pavilion overlooking the bayou and featuring a fireplace and picnic tables. Does anyone have access to firewood? Please let me know.

There’s also a pier (fishing allowed) and a walking path along the bayou. If the weather is suitable, I’m guessing we’ll spend most of our time outside, but we’ll have access to bathrooms and a space indoors equipped with a table, seating, a small frig and a microwave.

Please bring holiday treats to share and a gift in the $15-20 range. Roselie is organizing the gift exchange using a number system, which will end with an opportunity to swap should people choose to.

We’ll begin with graduation, of course. Amy Ouchley, David Hoover, and Roselie Overby will receive their certificates and name tags. I will tell you a bit more about each project as part of the presentation.

After a short 4th Q meeting, we’ll have ample time to enjoy the grounds. You might be interested to know that St. Thomas’ is the only church I know of that has a Care of Creation Committee. I am working with them to enhance their double-lot property on the bayou with plants (mostly native) that will attract birds and pollinators and help stabilize the bayou bank.

Right now, the forecast for Dec. 12 is partly cloudy and 58 degrees. Not bad for mid-December! Hope to see you there.

It’s not often we get to learn about the creation of a major restoration project from the very people responsible for getting it done. But this Saturday, we will!

Kelby Ouchley and his brother Keith Ouchley will teach us about one of their many significant accomplishments: The Mollicy Unit of the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge.

We will meet the Ouchley brothers in the parking lot of the Black Bayou Lake NWR Visitor Center. Please come early, as we plan to depart at 8 a.m. to caravan to the Mollicy Unit. Car pooling from BBLNWR is recommended.

A rally point near the Mollicy Unit will be identified for those coming from the north and northeast. (New info: gravel parking lot of Simmons Sporting Goods in Bastrop.)

Our tour of the Mollicy Unit will consist primarily of driving from point to point, exiting vehicles to walk about a bit, listen, learn and get our questions answered. Dress to be outdoors and for the possibility of wet and muddy areas.

We will be away from hunting areas, but it is hunting season, thus it would be appropriate to wear hunter orange or other bright colors if you wish.

Please also bring your own water and snacks. We expect to be back to BBLNWR by about noon, although you will be free to stay to explore further if you and your passengers wish. Please also have a face mask handy for those times when we need to be in close proximity, e.g., in vehicles or standing close together.

The Ouchley brothers have had a significant and long-term conservation impact on Louisiana. This state would be much poorer environmentally without their extraordinary careers of saving, restoring, and teaching Louisiana’s natural history. Kelby is a past recipient of Louisiana Master Naturalist Association’s Caroline Dorman Award. Keith recently retired from his position as Director of the Louisiana Nature Conservancy.

Please let me or Charles Paxton know if you are planning to attend this event. We want to be able to assure the Ouchley brothers that we have sufficient interest and participation to warrant their time leading this expedition.

Join us Sunday afternoon, September 26, in beautiful Kiroli Park, 820 Kiroli Road, West Monroe, La. Pick and choose your level of participation from the following items.

2 p.m. Hike – Park your car in the vicinity of shelter 6, which is the first picnic shelter on the left side of the road just past the guard shack at the entrance. We will gather near the entrance to the Conservatory, which is right across the road.

Two trails begin right next to the Conservatory. My plan is to head down the Outer Trail (yellow on the map), then switch to the Garden Trail (blue) where they intersect at the end of Azalea Hill. We’ll continue on to the Covered Bridge, then return via the Garden Trail.

As will be our standard operating practice from now on, we’ll begin the hike with a brief safety orientation and all will be asked to sign our waiver of liability sign-in sheet.

3:30 p.m. Guest speaker: Stuart Hodnett – Our meeting will begin in Shelter 6 with our usual educational guest speaker. Our own Stuart Hodnett is now the Director of West Monroe Parks & Recreation, and he will speak to us about the parks system. This will include information about Restoration Park, another wonderful asset in West Monroe we have visited and will visit again.

4 p.m. Business Meeting – I always say “short” but I have to be honest and admit sometimes it goes over 30 minutes! Nevertheless, we should be finished by 4:45 p.m.

That’s it, folks! Don’t forget that the charge to enter Kiroli Park is $1 per person. That’s a very modest fee to help maintain a wonderful park. One of the questions I want to ask Stuart is, How many annual visitors does Kiroli Park have? I’m sure it is a pretty high number.

We will soon have information regarding litter pick-up opportunities.