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Tag: conservationist

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Native Plants Reach a Local Landmark with UNO Certification

At 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 6, at the University of New Orleans (UNO) Amphitheater garden, the Louisiana Certified Habitat Program will reach a landmark when the Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans (NPIGNO) certifies the 100th New Orleans area habitat. The certified habitat program recognizes Louisiana efforts to preserve and promote the state's natural heritage via native plant gardens which benefit wildlife and natural ecosystems (https://www.lnps.org/certifiedhabitat/). Home gardeners, businesses, schools, and other institutions that landscape with plants native to Louisiana can apply for certification through the program. A native plant expert counts the number of species or estimates the percentage of native plant species on the property to assign a certification level. Levels are bronze (25 native species or 25% native plants), silver (50 native species or 50% native plants), and gold (75 native species or 75% native plants). Over 250 properties have been certified statewide. 

"We are so pleased to have the UNO native plant gardens as our 100th New Orleans area certified habitat," said Tammany Baumgarten, president of NPIGNO and of the Louisiana Native Plant Society. "UNO reaches such a wide range of people, from students to faculty to staff to community members, and it is truly becoming a showcase for the beauty and benefits of native plants."

Earlier this year, Chris Belser, assistant professor of the UNO counselor education, and a team of students installed the fourth native plant garden on campus at the Amphitheater near the Earl K. Long Library, an area heavily used by students, faculty, and staff. The student team, led by Emily Miller, Arden Kleinpeter, and Genesis Santiago, researched plants, mapped the garden design, and recruited volunteers for planting and maintenance work. 

"Gardens like the one at the Amphitheater benefit native birds, insects, and other wildlife, and they benefit humans too," said Belser who is also a Master Gardener in New Oreans with the LSU AgCenter. "Many studies have demonstrated that time outside in nature makes us healthier mentally and physically. We're adding signage to provide tips to encourage 'unplugged' outdoor lunches, breathing exercises, and other easy ways to enjoy and enhance time spent in the UNO native plant gardens." 

The Amphitheater garden is part of an overall sustainability project spearheaded by Belser and funded by an internal grant from UNO's Office of Research. His project is part of a larger campus greening effort and,is the third Louisiana Certified Habitat on campus. UNO’s first certified habitat was part of a Privateer Pocket Park installed at the Administration Building (http://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news#22-06-14/bird-mural) . The second certified habitat was part of a Privateer Pocket Park installed near the Fine Arts building (http://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news#22-11-22/audubon-mural). These pocket parks have native plants, environmental art painted by students, and seating to encourage the campus to enjoy nature. Privateer Pocket Parks implemented by Carol Lunn, Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the UNO Office of Research and UNO Garden Club advisor. Baumgarden, NPIGNO, and the Louisiana Native Plant Society have all contributed to helping UNO add native plants to campus. 

Another native plant project on campus is an Urban Bird Trail (https://www.uno.edu/news/2021-09-23/grant-create-urban-bird-habitat-uno-campus-and-support-environmental-education) funded by a $34,000 US Fish and Wildlife Service Urban Bird Treaty program grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Liz Sigler, Assistant to the Vice President for Research and Economic Development Center and Director for Center for Undergraduate Research and Creativity, Grant Writer John Bishop, and campus and community partners like UNO TriO Upward Bound and the Orleans Audubon Society provided gardening muscle and know-how for the project, which has provided extensive native tree plantings campuswide as well as efforts to mitigate non-native invasive plants in the campus woodlot near the Fine Arts Building. 

As part of an Earth Day Celebration, students and UNO Garden Club members also planted a native garden adjacent to student housing at  Pontchartrain Hall North with plants sourced by Lunn and Baumgarten. 

More information about these and other environmental sustainability projects at UNO are athttps://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news and via Instagram #KeepUNOBeautiful.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Chris Belser, Assistant Professor; Coordinator, Counselor Education Graduate Programs; ctbelser@uno.edu, 504-280-5864..

Carol Lunn, Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development; Advisor, UNO Garden Club; Keep UNO Beautiful; clunn1@uno.edu or KeepUNOBeautiful@uno.edu, 504-280-7155.

Liz Sigler, Assistant to the Vice President for Research and Economic Development; Director, Center for Undergraduate Research and Creativity; esigler@uno.edu or birding@uno.edu; Instagram: @birdsofuno; Facebook: @birdsofuniversityofneworleans, 504-280-7153.

Tammany Baumgarten - President, Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans; President, Louisiana Native Society, tammany@baumgardens.com, 504-616-9344.

 

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UNO

Last Saturday morning in November, we spent a few hours removing invasive tree saplings from the UNO Woodlot. This is the kick-off of a multi-phase project on UNO's campus to enhance bird and wildlife habitat by planting native shrubs and trees to further develop a urban birding trail on campus where over 130 species of birds have already been reported.  That’s a lot! With funds granted by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, we will be helping to select and plant at least 120 native trees and shrubs in the coming months. 

UNO

Volunteers came out from NPI, Orleans Audubon, Master Naturalists, UNO faculty and students, former students and community neighbors. We removed lots of Camphor, Golden Rain Tree, Chinese Elm and Tallow saplings that were sprouting on the ground layer of this woodsy spot.  We also collected many fallen branches and other forest litter and concentrated them into several brush piles (which birds love!)  While we were there, we could hear and see several bird species cavorting about.

We documented the following plant species already on the site:

  • Slash Pine
  • Black Cherry
  • Cherry Laurel
  • Live Oak
  • Water Oak
  • other Oak? (not sure which species)
  • Southern Red Oak
  • Hickory?
  • Green Ash?
  • Sweet Gum
  • Bald Cypress on fringes
  • Elderberry
  • Mulberry
  • Magnolia, Yaupon and Ilex opaca seedlings
  • Virginia Creeper
  • Poison Ivy
  • Spiderwort
  • Bidens alba
  • Sida rhombifolia

Now, to decide what 50 native species of tree or woody shrub would best improve the area for birds and fit with the existing plants……What do YOU think we should plant?

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Abita Creek Flatwoods

The day before Halloween, NPI President, Tammany Baumgarten, and Board Director Cheryl Geiger made the trek to St. Tammany Parish to attend a guided walk in the Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve hosted by the Land Trust for Louisiana.  Biologists, Nelwyn McInnis and Latimore Smith guided about 20 participants on a boardwalk stroll through a wet longleaf pine savanna grassland, highlighting the natural history and special features.  The preserve is described by the Nature Conservancy as a “premiere wetland community with pond cypress woodland, riparian forest, and carnivorous plants.”  Land Trust for Louisiana’s conservation easement on the preserve is part of a joint effort with The Nature Conservancy to protect 950 acres of Longleaf pine habitat.

We started our walk on a misty Hallows eve morning, following behind Nelwyn and Latimore, and they explained how hydrology and fire play an important role to create this unique landscape.  The seasonality of the wetlands and the undulating ridges and swales support a diverse ecosystem with over 300 species of plants, including rare and endemic species!  They explained how historically spring lightning strikes set the savannah ablaze and that the plant community here was adapted to the seasonal burning and relies on it.  For example the Longleaf pine, a keystone species in this ecosystem, requires fire to open its pine cones.  

The group slowly walked the boardwalk, asking the knowledgeable biologists questions about flora and fauna identification, land management, and the further conservation efforts of Abita Flatwoods Creek preserve.  We got to see carnivorous pitcher plants and sundews up close, enjoyed fall blooming flowers, and learned what makes this landscape rare and worth protecting!  Visit Land Trust for Louisiana | Land Conservation to check out the good work they are doing at Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve and through the state!

Enjoy the pictures from the day!

 

-Cheryl Geiger, NPI Board member

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Louisiana Native Plant Society (LNPS) recently put out a statement on habitat gardening and best practices for ecological resilience.  The Native Plant Initiative of GNO is aligned with this statement and supports property owners adherence to best practices of land and water conservation as crucial wildlife habitat.  You can read the entire position statement HERE.

LNPS also created a communication toolkit for Louisiana native plant gardeners to explain to their neighbors the benefits of habitat gardening and for finding common ground with neighbors who may not understand why a property owner would choose to garden this way. Click HERE to view the toolkit.

 

 

This event is open to the public and is intended to purpose to give the community an understanding of the massive water infrastructure project that will soon begin outside their doorsteps. Native plants will play a part in the stormwater management of this area. A bioswale will go in around Filmore Park, and Courtney was awarded a public art project for a footbridge over the bioswale. The footbridge is to be educational as well as artistic and will feature images and information about the native plants that will be in the bioswale and that grow in New Orleans. At this event, NPI will have an Activity and Information table where visitors and neighbors can learn about native plants, make SeedBeads with native seeds provided and/or take native seeds home to plant in their gardens.

This is an opportunity to share your knowledge about native plants and NPI. Courtney is open to any amount of help you can give. You might get a little dirty, so be prepared!

Tabling at Filmore Park, and seed scattering at meadow site.

9:30-11:30 - set up tabling at Filmore Park:  We will be introducing native plants to attendees. We'll have pictures of natives and of the plants that will go in the bioswale, NPI materials, etc., and need your expertise!  We will have bowls of native seeds, and will be set up for people to make seed balls, or to pot up seeds on the spot. Any pointers for what works best for tabling are welcome. More info on seed balls.

11:30 to 1:30 - tabling wrap up, reconvene at Native Wildflower Meadow at Leon C. Simon, assist in seed scattering (I have 2 lbs of a native mix) and tamping down seeds, breakdown. This will be the more active shift, scattering or assisting the scattering on site.

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http://www.briarwoodnp.org/

Caroline Coroneos Dormon (1888-1971) by Amy Graham of Longue Vue Gardens

“I could no more have stopped studying birds, flowers, and trees and drawing them than I could have stopped breathing!”

 “Our swamp debutante (the iris) has become a horticultural queen, reigning in gardens around the world”, 1951

Considered Louisiana’s first conservationist and one of the most influential American naturalists of the early 20th century, Caroline Dormon was an accomplished horticulturist, botanist, archeologist, ornithologist, teacher, Louisiana Iris hybridizer and author.  As a child in Saline LA, Dormon developed a keen interest in nature and spent most of her life collecting, cataloging and preserving native plants.  As the first woman employed by the U.S. Forestry Service in 1921, Caroline worked to establish Kisatchie National Forest by writing an enabling act that would allow the government to purchase old growth forest land.

Affectionately known as “Miss Carrie”, Dormon’s expertise was uncontested which conveyed into years of lecturing and consultation work through the 1940’s. Projects included highway beautification with the Louisiana Department of Transportation, nature-scaping of the Huey P. Long Charity Hospital and the establishment of the Louisiana State Arboretum in 1961. She also developed forestry education materials for schools, promoted forestry conservation support among civic leaders, and advocated for education and support for the Choctaw and Chitimacha tribes of Louisiana.

Dormon’s letters attest to professional correspondence with notable national figures including Lady Bird Johnson, Thomas Edison, garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence, famed botanist Dr. J.K. Small and landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman.

Published works include: Wild Flowers of Louisiana (1934), the first published work devoted entirely to describing Louisiana wildflowers, Forest Trees of Louisiana (1941), Flowers Native to the Deep South (1958), Natives Preferred (1965), Southern Indian Boy (1967), and Bird Talk (1969).

Dormon’s lifelong project was her 121-acre home Briarwood.  On Dormon’s passing in 1971, her beloved Briarwood was willed to The Foundation for the Preservation of the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve, Inc, and became the Briarwood Nature Preserve, now designated as a National Historic Place.

The Dormon archives are located at the library of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA.

Awards and appointments:

Member of the DeSoto Commission

Eloise Paine Luquer Medal by the Garden Club of America

Louisiana’s Board of Public Welfare and the State’s Highway Department

Honorary Doctorate of Science from Louisiana State University for Distinguished Scientific Achievement

To read more about Caroline Dormon, click here.