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LMNGNO is participating in GiveNOLA Day this year.  Help us continue our work educating our members and the public about the environment. If you love nature as much as we do, please consider making a donation. 

What is GiveNOLA Day?
GiveNOLA Day, an initiative of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is a one-day online giving event. For 24 hours, everyone who loves our region can support their favorite local causes by donating to one or more of 900+ participating nonprofit organizations. Since our first event in 2014, GiveNOLA Day has raised over $64.6 million for our region’s nonprofits. This year, we hope to do even more! 

When will GiveNOLA Day 2024 take place?
It will be from 12:00:01 a.m. to 11:59:59 p.m. on May 7, 2024. All event-related donations must be made online during the 24-hour period or during our scheduled giving period - April 23 through May 6.

Our community impact in 2023

  • Number of volunteers - 122
  • Number of events - 143
  • Volunteer hours - 4.46 k
  • Economic Impact - $137.75 k

To find out more visit our fundraising page.  

 

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BioBlitz and Community Nature Day on the Lafitte Greenway
May 10-12, 2024

 Learn more about nature and help your community! The Louisiana Master Naturalists and Friends of Lafitte Greenway are hosting a BioBlitz of the Lafitte Greenway and Community Nature Day on Saturday, May 11th. As a community, we will identify as many of the plants and animals that live on the Greenway as possible. There will be themed nature walks led by local experts throughout the day, as well as a nature-themed art project. All events are free and open to the public. All ages are welcome, and no prior knowledge or experience is necessary.

The Lafitte Greenway
The Lafitte Greenway is a 2.6-mile-long linear urban park that stretches from Mid-City to the French Quarter in New Orleans. The park, which was established in 2015, features sports fields and courts, playgrounds, exercise stations, a swimming pool, and a garden. A former brake tag station on the Greenway has been remodeled into an open-air event staging space with electricity and restroom, and a small, permanent stage has been installed nearby. The park also contains bioswales, bioretention areas, and large stretches of meadow that are marked by signs indicating, “Native meadow planting: Give nature a chance.” The Lafitte Greenway connects to Armstrong Park, Bayou St. John and is, at its most westerly point, less than half a mile from City Park.

What is a BioBlitz?
During a BioBlitz, people work together to find and identify as many species of plants and animals as possible in a specific area over a short period of time.

Purpose of the BioBlitz of the Lafitte Greenway
The purpose of the 2024 BioBlitz of the Lafitte Greenway is to document, for the first time, as many of the species living on the Greenway as possible. The data from the BioBlitz will help the Greenway’s managers plan the park’s natural and developed features, protect important habitats, and advocate for the Greenway’s importance. Submission of observations for the BioBlitz of the Lafitte Greenway will be accepted for three full days: Friday, May 10 through Sunday, May 12.

BioBlitz Session Schedule

Start End Topic Leader(s) Meeting point
9 AM 4 PM Aquatic macroinverte-brates (throughout the day) LMNGNO volunteers Greenway station
10 AM 12 PM Fungi Tres Fisher and Ann Plique Greenway station
10 AM 11:30 AM Tree session #1 Byron Almquist, Sean Duffy and Bill Van der Meer French Truck
10:30 AM 11:30 AM Native landscapes Emily Pontiff Greenway station
10:30 AM 12 PM Mosquitoes Rachel Denny French Truck
12 PM 2 PM Art project: Sun prints Courtney Egan Greenway station
12 PM 1 PM Butterflies and other day insects Sam Kanellos and Noah Hebert Lemann Pool
12:30 PM 2 PM Plants Matt Heron Greenway Station
2 PM 3:30 PM Tree session #2 Byron Almquist and Susie Allen Flour Moon
5 PM 6:30 PM French nature walk Maxime Bailleux and Marc Witham Flour Moon
5:30 PM 7 PM Mammals Rachel Denny Flour Moon
6 PM 8 PM Reptiles and amphibians Steve Stevens Greenway Station
7 PM 9 PM Bats Craig Hood Flour Moon
9 PM 10:30 PM Moths and other night insects Janna Wisniewski Flour Moon

*More sessions to be added. Check back for updates!

Download a printable schedule.

Who can participate?
All activities are free and open to the public. All ages are welcome (children should be accompanied by a guardian). No prior knowledge or experience is necessary. You do not need to pre-register for the nature walks or art project, just come to the designated meeting point at the start time.

What should participants bring?
We recommend wearing closed-toed shoes and sun protection and bringing water and a smartphone. It is a good idea to download iNaturalist in advance (see instructions below).

iNaturalist
Data will be tabulated using iNaturalist. Participants will be encouraged to download iNaturalist on their smartphones and post photos of the species that they observe to the project entitled “Lafitte Greenway BioBlitz 2024.”

You can learn how to download the app and create an account here: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started

And learn how to make an observation here: https://vimeo.com/162581545

Those who opt not to use a smartphone will record their observations on paper data sheets.

Species identification
Participants will canvas the Greenway to find as many unique species of life as possible during the72-hour period. Although the emphasis will be on observing species and taking their photos (if possible), the LMNGNO will provide resources for identification including the iNaturalist and Seek apps, on-site experts, and a library of field guides during the main session on Saturday.

Participants will be welcome to search in any part of the Greenway, at any time, and for any types of life that they choose. However, participants can also join scheduled searches for specific types of life which will be led by local experts.

Have questions? Want to volunteer?
Contact Janna Wisniewski at janna@louisianamasternaturalistgno.org.

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Sail Away on Lake Pontchartrain
New Orleans Community Sailing Center
May 18th 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Our previously schedule trip was postponed due to windy conditions on the lake. Note the new date - May 18th.

Join other Master Naturalists for a fun sail on the lake and earn 2 continuing education hours.

Sailing instructors from CSNOI will show us the ropes and explain how CSNOI impacts lives by providing accessible educational opportunities and the promotion of health on Lake Pontchartrain for all regardless of age, background, and abilities.

Suggested reading:

Cost is $32. Space is limited so sign up soon! You must sign up on Community Sailing's website and on POINT.

101 N Roadway St, New Orleans, LA 70124

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All,

Registration for Rendezvous 2024 is now open. See the state website for a link to register and hotel information. At the time of registration, you may also sign up for workshops, so it may be helpful to have the list of options on the website printed for your information. 

https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org/rendezvous2024.html

Pay through Zeffy https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/af37cf13-54d9-44a0-9b1a-539726cc9c44

OR Mail check for $100 payable to Louisiana Master Naturalist Association to Martha Garner, 506 Plaza Village Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506

Rendezvous is a wonderful opportunity to explore the Northeast region of the state with fellow naturalists from all around Louisiana. The Northeast chapter has been working and planning to make this event a success for all. 

Janell Simpson, Secretary

Note: This event is open to dues paying members and those in training. At this time it is not open to "Friends of" members.

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Executive Committee Meetings 5:30 PM
LMNGNO Resource Room at STEM Library LAB
3011 N I 10 Service Rd E, Metairie, LA 70002
January 10, 2024
April 3, 2024
July 10, 2024
October 23, 2024
Board of Directors Meetings 5:30 PM
Open to all members in good standing
LMNGNO Resource Room at STEM Library LAB
3011 N I 10 Service Rd E, Metairie, LA 70002
January 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
July 17, 2024
October 30, 2024
December 4, 2024 (if needed)
General Membership Meetings
Social Hour begins at 5:30 PM.
Business meeting begins at 6:30 PM.
Feature Presenters to be determined.
Loyola University
Miller Hall Room 114
January 24, 2024 - Liz Sigler
April 17, 2024
July 24, 2024
November 13, 2024
Rendezvous 2024
April 12-14, 2024 Monroe Louisiana
Winter Gathering
October 11-13, 2024
Dates of Spring 2024 Workshops
Meet & Greet
January 12, 2024 6 - 8 PM
STEM Library Lab
Orientation
January 13, 2024 9 - 4 PM
Louisiana Nature Center
Bayou Sauvage Wildlife Refuge
January 20, 2024 9 - 3 PM
Urban Ecology-City Park
February 3, 2024 9 - 3 PM
Coastal Education and Research Facility (CERF - UNO)
February 24, 2024 9 - 3 PM
Northlake Nature Center
March 9, 2024 9 - 3 PM
Turtle Cove
April 6, 2024 9 - 3 PM
Elmer’s Island
April 19, 2024 10 AM - 4 PM
Grand Isle
April 20, 2024 9 - 3 PM
Jean Lafitte National Park
May 4, 2024 4 PM - 10:30 PM
Bayou Dupont Coastal Restoration site 9 AM - 3 PM
May 25, 2024
Closing STEM Library Lab
May 29, 2024

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Our quarterly general membership meeting will take place on Wednesday January 24, 2024. 

Loyola University - Room 205 Miller Hall (note the room # is different for this meeting only)

5:30 Social Hour and potluck (sign up link to follow); visit with Study Group leaders, collection of 2024 dues, 

6:30 Business meeting with certification of new members and presentation of the Donald Muir Bradburn Award to the winner from the Class of Fall 2023

7:00 Presentation by Liz Sigler (LMNGNO Class of Spring 2022) 
Title: Urban Bird Habitat and Environmental Education at the University of New Orleans

Parking instructions for the Loyola parking garage.

Carpool document is LINKED HERE - sign up to indicate your willingness to participate or your need for a ride. Check back in a few days to see if someone in your neighborhood has also signed up. 

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See below for a  revised version of the January - April 2024 issue of our newsletter, released last week. This is to correct some errors made. The board of directors meetings calendar on page 2 has been updated. And the species labels associated with the salamander photos on pages 3-4, which had been reversed, have since been corrected here.

I apologize for the errors.

Bill Van der Meer
Editor: "the Naturalist"

The latest issue of the LMNGNO newsletter is out. Click the image below to read the newsletter.

To view previous ones, click here. 

Thanks to those who contributed articles.

Editor: Bill Van der Meer
Assoc. Editor: Catherine Leftwich
Proof Reader: Dr. Mary Gubala
We welcome submissions from our members. Please contact Bill for more info communications.lmngno@gmail.com

 

 

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LMNGNO has scheduled a visit to the LSU Center for River Studies on Friday, January 19th at 1:30.  Sign up on POINT: https://dash.pointapp.org/events/101743

Please consider carpooling to Baton Rouge. LINK to Carpool Document

LSU Center for River Studies conducts research on the world’s major rivers with a specific focus on the Mississippi River. We train the next generation of engineers, geologists and river experts.

LSU Center for River Studies is located on the Baton Rouge Water Campus near the banks of the Mississippi River. It houses one of the world's largest movable bed physical models - the Lower Mississippi River Physical Model.

The river model is 10,000 square feet and based on the topography and bathymetry of the Mississippi River Delta covering southeast Louisiana. Pumps are used to control the water and sediment injection. More than 18 acoustic sensors coincide with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers river gages on the Mississippi River and measure water levels in the model river. Twenty high-definition projectors illuminate the model and bring the river and coast to life.

The model is able to replicate the flow, water levels and sediment (sand) transport of the river, where one year of the Mississippi River is simulated in one hour. Scientists, engineers and students can see, experience and conduct research using this state-of-the-art model.

LSU Center for River Studies is made possible through a partnership with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, or CPRA. The center’s interactive exhibit space offers opportunities for guests of all ages to learn more about the history of the Mississippi River, Louisiana’s disappearing wetlands, and ongoing coastal restoration projects across the coast. 

The center is led by Director Clint Willson, the Mike N. Dooley Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at LSU. Dr. Wilson will be joining us to share his insights.

LSU Center for River Studies is located on The Water Campus.
100 Terrace Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Parking is available adjacent to the center on Arches Street as well as in the parking lot on Water Street.

https://lsu.edu/river/

Questions? Contact: Sue Marchal

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Hi everyone - Sending out a reminder about the 2023 LMNGNO Winter Gathering.

Join other Naturalists for a fun and educational weekend at Bogue Chitto State Park. We're planning a 3 day rendezvous-like event for our master naturalist chapter.

Follow the links below for more information.

Agenda
The weekend begins Friday afternoon and continues through mid-day on Sunday. See the agenda for all activities.
Accommodations and Registration Fees
Costs (overnight stay and meals) - $50.00; not staying overnight - $40.00
Map and Directions
Bogue Chitto State Park is located on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, ten miles north of Folsom on LA 25 or about an hour and 15 minutes from Metairie. Park phone (985) 839-5707

Register here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSqqSX_xfQfVK7G9djGsUmpfjcrFLZZ1K8vKrNeuusIa7Hcw/viewform

WHAT TO EXPECT: Experts in different fields sharing their knowledge while hiking, wading in the river or stargazing at night. Lodging is in the group camp - bunk beds divided between 2 large rooms with separate bathrooms for each side.

We still have 30 open overnight spaces in the group camp, if you're hoping to grab a bunk bed for the weekend. Hope to see you all there!

Julia Lightner, LMNGNO President

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Everyone,

Wanted to pass along these educational websites from our guest speaker, Danielle Manning. 

These are great if you're interested in learning more about the weather:

Jetstream: https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream

COMET: https://www.comet.ucar.edu/

View Danielle Manning's presentation.

Also, an announcement from Dr. Hood:

Please join us on Thursday, November 2nd at 12:30 in MONROE  610 for our ENVA Roundtable. 

The Environment Program is hosting an important public event (see below) that should be of interest to any and all students, faculty, staff, alumni with interests in the Environment.      http://cas.loyno.edu/environment/environmental-roundtable 

The "Saltwater Wedge" and its impacts to much of the River regions from Plaquemines to Jefferson Parish has been (and remains) a serious concern requiring regional coordination and hazard mitigation planning and actions.   In this Roundtable we host Austin Feldbaum (Director of Hazard Mitigation, City of New Orleans) and Ricky Boyett (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) to discuss not only the current saltwater wedge, but other concerns of the effects of saltwater intrusion and otherr serious community threats.  

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://loyno.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAvf-6rrDouEtXDQvmeR-NYSkIH3mb5tlXN 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting -- holpefully in-person (in MONROE 610), or via Zoom

Please feel free to invite any Loyola Community Member or members of the Public.  For more information, contact our Roundtable coordinators -- Jim Schott (mjschott@loyno.edu) and Anat Berger (aberger@loyno.edu)