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8/6/2023 0 Comments

Rescuing Biodiversity! Conservation Showcase with Author, Johnny Armstrong.

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Image courtesy of Union Parish Library. Please click on the poster to view it at larger size. Download poster pdf at the bottom of the page.
Sunday, August 13th 2:00 at Union Parish Library in Farmerville, Louisiana
Meet author and conservationist, Johnny Armstrong as he shares his story of the protection and restoration of a North Louisiana ecosystem! 

At Union Parish Library next Sunday, Aug. 13th, 2 pm, Johnny Armstrong, local author, conservator and former medical doctor will speak to the public about his vital restoration ecology work on his land near Ruston and read select parts of his book "Rescuing Biodiversity. The Protection and Restoration of a North Louisiana Ecosystem."
 

Armstrong is running an exemplary project in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy Louisiana to preserve a vanishing Louisiana ecosystem and restore the indigenous plants and animals. 
 
This is important because America is losing its precious biodiversity from habitat destruction; both the variety and the quantity of living things are being diminished. A rich biodiversity is more resilient to adverse changes and is the basis of our life support system. Therefore, this event is relevant for all who own or manage land in NELA.
 
We're very grateful to Johnny for his valuable project and outreach, and also to Library Director, Stephanie Antley Hermmann for opening this wonderful venue to us. Yet again she's proving Louisiana public libraries' essential contribution to our NELA community.
 
There'll be an opportunity for Q&A and book signing and an appeal to join the Louisiana Master Naturalists Northeast group.
 
Links and background information
 
For more info about Johnny's book please see:
https://lsupress.org/books/detail/rescuing-biodiversity/
 
More info about The Louisiana Master Naturalists:
The Louisiana Master Naturalists Northeast's mission is to develop a corps of well-informed citizen naturalists who promote, through education and service, stewardship of Louisiana’s natural resources within their communities.
https://louisianamasternaturalistsnortheast.com
 
More info about the Union Parish Library here:
The Union Parish Library is located in central Farmerville, Louisiana. It regularly holds events and is a valuable community hub
https://unionparish.booksys.net/opac/upl/index.html#menuHome


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restoration-ecology-union-parish.pdf
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4/29/2023 0 Comments

Dr. Malcolm F. Vidrine is The Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist of The Year for 2023!

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By Dr. Robert A. Thomas PhD. Professor of Environmental Communication, Loyola University, LMNA Past President and Chair of The Dormon Award Committee.
​The Louisiana Master Naturalist Association, a statewide organization dedicated to educating citizens about the natural history of our state and its importance to their well-being, is proud to announce that the 2023 recipient of its Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist award is Dr. Malcolm F. Vidrine, professor emeritus of biology at Louisiana State University Eunice.  He received the award April 22 at LMNA’s annual Rendezvous held in Hackberry, Louisiana, and hosted by the Southwest Louisiana Master Naturalists.
This award is given in recognition of an outstanding career in education, scholarship, and research in the field of natural history.  A major criterion of the award is that the recipient has actively shared knowledge with the general public and accomplished projects that have resulted in important improvements in conservation of Louisiana’s natural resources.
 
Dr. Vidrine earned a B.S. and M. S. from Louisiana State University and a PhD. From the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now ULL).
 
His work experience includes high school teaching, various teaching positions throughout graduate school, research at The Gulf South Research Institute, adventures in the private sector with the Jefferson Parish Mosquito Abatement District, followed by teaching at LSU Eunice for 38 years.  Dr. Vidrine is especially recognized for his work in prairie restoration, one of his passions throughout his career.  He has remained on the cutting edge of expansion of our knowledge on restoration of Louisiana’s prairie grasslands, and again he included this research in his scholarship as well as engaging in the private sector such as his efforts with The Cajun Prairie Gardens.
 
Dr. Vidrine has received much recognition during his career, including serving as a Jessup Fellow at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and receiving the Dr. Charles M. Allen Cajun Prairie Award from the Coastal prairie Partnership.
​His work has been diverse (scientific papers, documentaries, brochures, landscaping, serving as a publisher, consulting, and many other endeavors), thorough, and directed at many audiences.  He has over 100 scholarly publications and has participated in authorship of over 20 books that focus on prairie ecology, freshwater invertebrate biology, conservation biology, and archeology.  One that is of extreme value to naturalists is his treatise on the freshwater mussels of Louisiana.
 

​
We are happy to celebrate such an esteemed educator and researcher whose life has contributed to a better understanding of our state’s natural history!  He is truly a worthy recipient of the Caroline Dormon Louisiana Master Naturalist award.
 
The Louisiana Master Naturalist Association founded the Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist Award as a tribute to the legacy of Dr. Caroline Dormon and to recognize people who personify her commitment to conserving and appreciating the rich biodiversity of Louisiana. Vidrine is the sixth recipient of the award. 

 

Dormon Award dedicated webpage with profiles on current and past winners.
https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org/the-dormon-award.html
Past participants: James Delahoussaye (2022), William R. “Bill” Fontenot (2021), Kelby Ouchley (2020); Vernon Antoine Brou, Jr. (2019); Dr. Charles Allen (2018). 
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2/6/2023 0 Comments

LMNA Seeks Your Nominations For Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist 2023 - The Caroline Dormon Award.

Who do you feel deserves the Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist Award 2023?

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Dr. Caroline Dormon in action! Copyright NSU Libraries, Cammie G. Henry Research Center, Caroline Dormon Collection

​Every year we honor an exemplary naturalist.

Our highest award for a Louisiana Naturalist is named after Dr. Caroline Dormon, eminent and accomplished Louisiana naturalist, environmental educator, horticulturist, ornithologist, historian, archaeologist, preservationist, conservationist, and author. Amongst other achievements she was the first female in the US Forestry Service and founded Louisiana’s wonderful Kisatchie National Forest, the Louisiana State Arboretum in Ville Platte, and the Briarwood Nature Retreat. 
The Louisiana Master Naturalists formed to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of the natural resources within our communities in the state of  Louisiana, USA.

Our association serves seven distinct groups:
Greater New Orleans Chapter Web & Facebook
Acadiana Chapter (Lafayette area) Web & Facebook
Southwest Chapter (Lake Charles area) Web & Facebook
Greater Baton Rouge Chapter Web & Facebook
CenLa Chapter (Alexandria area) Facebook
Northeast Chapter (Monroe area) Web & Facebook

Northwest Chapter (Shreveport area) Web & Facebook
Acadiana Chapter (Lafayette area) Web & Facebook
Is there someone in your community, or beyond, that you would like to nominate for the Louisiana Master Naturalists' most prestigious award?
Who would you like to nominate for the Louisiana Master Naturalists' most prestigious award?

Please find below our award nomination form along with some explanatory text concerning the Caroline Dormon Award itself and guidance on what we think it takes to be considered an outstanding naturalist and our past winners as exemplars. 



See more information with photos at 
​

https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org/the-dormon-award.html
2023_dormon_nomination_form_2-13-23.pdf
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9/5/2022 0 Comments

Find out about fireflies, frogs, 'gators, hurricanes and lot's more besides from The Southern Naturalist Podcast Series.

Listen To The Southern Naturalist
Now you can learn about Louisiana Nature any time you want with The Southern Naturalist Podcast series (So NAT)! 

These are 
fun and informative recordings that place us with Environmental Communications experts Dr. Bob Thomas and his daughter Dr. Aimée Thomas, both Professors of Loyola University in New Orleans, exploring the interconnections of nature in a high quality audio experience that feels thoroughly immersive! 

Tune in when it suits you, to join lively, topical and well-informed, seasonal excursions into the field, to meet the denizens of our swamps and prairies and learn from subject matter experts about the natural phenomena that enrich and influence all lives in the State of Louisiana!


For more info about the series check out the Faculty of Environmental Communication's webpage on the subject:

https://lucec.loyno.edu/so-nat-podcast


On social media
 https://www.facebook.com/SoNatPodcast   
www.instagram.com/sonatpodcast/
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Learn about Louisiana Nature with Southern Naturalist Podcasts!
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6/8/2022 0 Comments

Louisiana Master Naturalist Interview on Conserving Earth, Red River Radio

https://www.redriverradio.org/show/conserving-earth/2022-05-17/conserving-earth-may-18-2022-master-naturalists

Check out this excellent radio interview with The Louisiana Master Naturalists. Join Red River Radio's Rebecca Triche in a superb Conserving Earth chat program with LMNA President Bette Kauffman, Katherine Gividen LMNA Vice President, and Janell Simpson, Greater New Orleans MN President. The discussion covers all aspects of becoming and being a Master Naturalist in Louisiana, why it is so worthwhile and the sort of activities that we do in a lively and informative dialogue!

​This is recommended listening for anyone interested in the Louisiana Master Naturalists!


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5/8/2022 0 Comments

The Promise of Earth Day

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Tom Pearson, Meteorologist and Director of The Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo giving his presentation on weather and climate to the public, Louisiana Master Naturalists Northeast and Friends of Black Bayou, Saturday May 7th. K. Paxton photo.
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Earth Day means different things to different people. How did you celebrate it this year? What does Earth Day mean to you?

​Click here for some uplifting writing Earth Day’s Promise – Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast (louisianamasternaturalistsnortheast.com)

Yesterday Saturday May 7th, at a public Weather and Climate event in Monroe, Louisiana where Meteorologist Tom Pearson taught me much more about weather and climate than I thought I knew (Thanks, Tom), Dr. Anne Fazer, LMNA member, told me "Earth Day is every day now for me."

I had to agree, it really has to be, for us all, don't you think?

​My thanks to Anne for the following material and Kimmie Paxton for the photos.

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Anne Frazer conducting an experiment by adding Bicarbonate of Soda and vinegar to an air-tight bag with a cup of water to which she had added an acid reagent.
 What do you think happened in her experiment?

First the baking soda degassed CO2, and the bag bulged with the extra gas, then the water absorbed some of the gas, the bag deflated and the water turned purple and acidic.

This replicates the acidification of our lakes, rivers and seas. Acid conditions don't suit many marine organisms from corals to diatoms and thus the current marine food web is threatened.

​Regarding the distribution of CO2 released from the burning of fossil fuels, according to "The Thinking Person's Guide to Climate Change, 2nd edition" by Robert Henson. Over the period 2007-2016, land-based ecosystems took up about 30%, Oceans absorbed about 24%, leaving about 46% remaining in the atmosphere. [This book was published by the American Meteorological Society (AMS) in 2019.
earth-day-lte-ouachita-citizen-2022-04-21__1_.docx
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earth-day-lte-ouachita-citizen-2022-04-21__1_.pdf
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​Some links for follow-up! 

1. www.earthday.org ,


2. https://clcouncil.org/economists-statement/ . This links to the "Economists' Statement on Carbon Dividends"

3. www.congress.gov : Enter "h.r.2307" into the search box at the top of the page (it's possible you need to specify the 117th Congress), then click the link for the bill "H.R..2307 - 117th Congress (2021-2022)." This takes you to the 'Summary'. Summaries are authored by the CRS (Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress). 


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5/5/2022 0 Comments

A FROG BLOG & LOG

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Earth Day was celebrated as a Herp day in Monroe, Louisiana, in 2022. The Louisiana Master Naturalists Northeast and Friends of Black Bayou organized a joint events schedule that focused on our cold-blooded friends, the reptiles and amphibians. With 1 in 5 reptiles now threatened with extinction according to a study published in Nature (Source BBC News) there has never been a greater need to focus on these creatures.

The day kicked off at 10:00 with a guided walk to look for frogs, turtles and crocodilians. It was blustery around the lake so the alligators kept their heads down as did the turtles. In the swamp by the boardwalks it was a different story. We saw some turtles, frogs, many Broad-banded Watersnakes, a Rough Green Snake, and lizards.

Please see Herp Success! – Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast (louisianamasternaturalistsnortheast.com)
and
Swamp Night – Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast (louisianamasternaturalistsnortheast.com)

The local TV station (KNOE) turned out to interview two of the organizers and film the walkers setting off front detailed account please see LMNE blog. In the evening there was a presentation on frogs and their calls before we set out and what's the boardwalks again. It was a very different place at night. We heard a riot of frog calls and everyone was excited to see a medium sized alligator near the boardwalk in the lake. For me probably the star of the show was a big old bullfrog that was just sitting on the bottom of the lake with huge eardrums, placid, immobile, solid, with ancient lineage.

A team of 8 people prepared for the events remotely using digital remote collaboration tools, Zoom and Mural.

Earth Day’s Promise – Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast (louisianamasternaturalistsnortheast.com)

Please find below the Ppt presentation on Frogs and their calls made by K.Paxton and J. Wright with media sourced from Loyola University New Orleans Dept. of Environmental Communications and The Frog Log that we used to mark species observations.
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Click here to download the 121MB Ppt file.

the_frog_log_3.pdf
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4/17/2022 0 Comments

LMNA Photo Contest 2022

,Our thanks to all who submitted their fine images to our 2022 LMNA Photo Contest. As last year, there were five categories with a sub-division of professional and amateur class in each category. Rendezvous members could vote for their favorites on our Facebook page.

There were 27 entries altogether, 17 amateur and 10 professional. It was another fantastic offering for the Master Naturalists' image bank. Thank you!
​

Wildlife Category
Professional
Winner Bette J. Kauffman
Runner-up Charles Paxton
Amateur
Winner Katherine Gividen
​Runner-up David Hoover
Unflappable
(12/15/21 Livingston Parish)
A thoroughly unimpressed Great Horned Owl by Katherine Gividen.
Amateur
For 2022 Photo Contest Wildlife, Bette J. Kauffman, professional, Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus).
A Smooth Softshell turtle (Apalone mutica) surging ashore after its release into the Ouachita River, by volunteers with Professor John Carr of ULM. C.Paxton, Professional.
​
Nature in Close-up Category
Professional
Winner Bette J. Kauffman
Runner-up Charles Paxton
Amateur
Winner Angelle Arata
​​​Runner-up 
David Hoover
Runner-up Troy Sampere


Bette J. Kauffman, professional, Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
Prickles. Troy Sampere, Amateur
David Hoover
Squirrel!!! 8-25-2021
Amateur
Two map turtles face to face in the tender clasp of the herpetologist who hatched them in his ULM incubators, Professor John Carr. The Mississippi Map turtle on the left with crescent behind the eye and Ouachita Map turtle on the right with an oblique marking. C.Paxton photo. Professional class.
Habitat Category
Professional
Winner Bette J. Kauffman
Runner-up Charles Paxton
Amateur
Winner Katherine Gividen
​​Runner-up Troy Sampere

​Runner-up David Hoover
Runner-up Angelle Arata

Habitat, Bette J. Kauffman, professional, title: Boudoir for a Beast
Adaptation
(04/17/21 Jefferson Parish)
The beauty of nature vs the drabness of man's progress.
Amateur
Tickfaw Tree Line 11/14/21. "The individual is to make what is beautiful"--Oscar Wilde. Amateur class.
Troy Sampere, The naked canopy. 2022. Bogochitto State Park. Amateur
David Hoover. 2022. Wishing for a fish. Amateur.
The water margin at Black Bayou National Wildlife Refuge offers visitors wonderful access to a swamp from its new boardwalk. C.Paxton. Professional class.
Artistic Category
Professional
Winner Bette J. Kauffman
Runner-up Charles Paxton
Amateur
Winner Katherine Gividen
​​Runner-up Troy Sampere

​Runner-up David Hoover

Naturalist Category
Professional
Winner Bette J. Kauffman
Runner-up Charles Paxton
Amateur
Winner Katherine Gividen
​Runner-up David Hoover
​​Runner-up 
Kimmie Paxton
​​Runner-up Troy Sampere


Dance of the Butterfly. Bette J. Kauffman, professional.
Industry. Panned shot of a young coyote running.
(01/24/22 East Baton Rouge Parish)
diligence in an employment or pursuit
steady or habitual effort.
Amateur
Dec 2021 Erosion and drainage. Fountain Bleu State Park. Amateu
Life Abounds by David Hoover. Amateur.
Fungi on a log with methane bubbles rising behind. A tranquil scene from Restoration Park, West Monroe. C.Paxton, Professional class.
 Bette J. Kauffman, professional, title: Bat Tree, caption: Jess Wright, Northeast Chapter, checks out a hollow tupelo tree for roosting bats.
Patience
(06/13/21 Cameron Parish)
Waiting for that perfect photograph of a Clapper Rail.
Amateur
A young naturalist releasing a Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica) at Lazarre Park in Monroe, LA. K.Paxton, Amateur.
On With The Day, Troy Sampere. Amateur.
Kimmie Paxton enjoying the wonderful Russell Sage WMA. C.Paxton. Professional Class.
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3/26/2022 0 Comments

Jim Delahoussaye Wins 2022 Caroline Dormon Award!

PictureImage from Riverlogue Blog, copyright Jim Delahoussaye.
  • Member and former board member of the Louisiana Folklore Society
  • Member of the Louisiana Archeological Society.
  • Board member of ‘Friends of Atchafalaya,’ Vice-President.

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Jim Delahoussaye with his book Riverlogue. Jim Delahoussaye image and copyright.
Media Alert: For Release March 28th, 2022

​Louisiana Master Naturalist Association Announces
2022 Caroline Dormon Award Winner

 
The Louisiana Master Naturalist Association recently selected Mr. A. James “Jim” Delahoussaye as the recipient of the 2022 Caroline Dormon Award. He will be formally presented with his award at a special plenary dinner in The Pineville Conference Center, April 2nd, where he will be keynote speaker. He was nominated for the award by Clifford J LeGrange and C. Ray Brassieur of Acadiana Master Naturalists chapter. The award is named after noted Louisiana naturalist Dr. Caroline Dormon and recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the understanding of Louisiana’s natural history over a lifetime of work.  Previous winners include Dr. Charles Allen, Vernon Brou, Jr., Kelby Ouchley, and Bill Fontenot.
 
Jim Delahoussaye has worked as an environmental scientist, teacher, folklorist, and commercial fisherman in the Atchafalaya Basin.  He has also worked as a zooarchaeologist, an adjunct researcher in the department of Sociology/Anthropology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he analyzes animal bones from prehistoric Native American middens.
 
In addition to his scientific publications, numerous presentations to the public, and participation in videos documenting life on the Atchafalaya, Jim has chronicled the unique relationship between the people and the Atchafalaya River.  He has collected life stories from descendants of houseboat families who lived in the Atchafalaya Basin, preserving a unique culture for posterity.  His large collection of recordings and related materials from this project was recently gifted to the Library of Congress, where it is housed in the American Folklife Center.
 
Jim’s knowledge and expertise covers all aspects of the natural history of the Atchafalaya Basin, and the people who depend on it.  He not only has the formal education and background, but he also has the lived experience of working and earning a living in the Basin. His familiarity with this vast swampland enabled him to assess the height of the tallest Bald Cypress tree in the Atchafalaya by eye within a margin of accuracy of just over 2 feet!
 
The committee that selected Delahoussaye from a shortlist of six powerful contenders agreed that he met and exceeded all the criteria for the award. 
 
See Riverlogue Blog for Jim’s fascinating life, work and photographs,
"This Riverlogue blog originates on the banks of the Atchafalaya River, in Louisiana. It proposes to share the things that happen on and by the river as the seasons progress. As the river changes from quiet, warm, slow flow to rises of eighteen feet or more, there are changes in the lives of the birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles that use the river. And the mood of the river changes with the seasons. I propose to note and comment on these things." Jim Delhoussaye
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
Delahoussaye's Scientific Publications include the following:
  • Fouquette, M.J. and Jim Delahoussaye. 1966. Noteworthy Herpetological Records from Louisiana ; March 1966, The Southwestern Naturalist 11(1):137.
  • Delahoussaye, A. James, Thieret, John W. 1967. Cyperus subgenus Kyllinga (Cyperaceae) in the continental United States. Sida 3: 128-136. (John Thieret was the authority on Sedges (Cyperceae) in Louisiana. Jim discovered a new subgenus of sedges while working with Dr. Thieret. The discovery was validated by specimens from Kew Gardens, London, England.)
  • Fouquette, M.J., Jr., and A.J. Delahoussaye. 1977. Sperm morphology in the Hyla rubra group (Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae), and it’s bearing on generic status. Journal of Herpetology, 11: 387-396. (This publication was based on Jim’s academic findings for his Master’s degree.)
  • Bauer, Raymond T. and James Delahoussaye. 2008. Life history migrations of the amphidromous river shrimp Macrobrachium ohione from a continental large river system. Journal of Crustacean Biology. 28(4), 622-632. (The breeding migration of river shrimp was previously unknown. Jim and Raymond discovered that river shrimp required a transition from fresh to salt water in order to reproduce.)​
  • Delahoussaye, A. James, Brad R. Moon, and Mark A. Rees. 2015. Zooarchaeology of the Portage Mounds site (16SMS in southern Louisiana). Louisiana Archaeology. 39: 5-31. Jim’s analysis of the archeological material at this location suggested that prehistoric Native Americans in south Louisiana were eating very large (5 pounds) bull frogs as part of their regular diet. These days large bull frogs weigh in at about 2 lbs) 

​JIM AS  ZOOARCHAEOLOGIST: EXPLORING, COLLECTING, ANALYZING 
​& DOCUMENTING

PictureJim Delahoussaye in the field, photograph and copyright Brad Moon.
 Jim volunteers his time as a research scientist (zooarchaeologist) in the Anthropology Program, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Child and Family Services at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.

​He identifies bone fragments excavated from prehistoric Native American midden sites. Jim analyses vertebrate faunal remains (from fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds) that represent parts of the material record recovered during archeological excavation.


Particularly in Louisiana, invertebrate animal remains (like mollusks, crustaceans, and snails) also are associated with ancient human sites.

​Faunal analyses require knowledge of faunal anatomy and taxonomy, but careful study of environmental and archeological contexts is required. Bone and shell remains also may show how past humans fashioned tools and artifacts used for everyday tasks and ritual occasions.
 He first determines if the bone fragment belonged to a bird, fish, amphibian, reptile, or mammal.
​He next determines what bone the fragment came from. 

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A Snapping Turtle shell from an Atchafalaya Basin Shell Midden. Delahoussaye image.
He has been doing this as a volunteer since 2006. He has worked on bones from Poverty Point (World Heritage Site), Louisiana State University, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, the office of the Louisiana State Archeologist, and is currently identifying excavated material from a site on the Brazos River in Texas.

He works on these projects three to five days per week. The UL Lafayette anthropology program hosts active and well-respected archeological activities in prehistorical, historical, and public archeology. Jim’s contributions as a Zooarchaeologist add a specialized and highly regarded enhancement to this program. Expert Zooarchaeologist are rare in Louisiana, and Jim’s activities in this field have earned considerable attention. Major archeological collections of faunal materials from throughout Louisiana are sent to Jim for analysis. Jim’s work includes the systematic study of animal remains recovered from archeological sites.

Zooarchaeology is a "hybrid" discipline, combining the studies of archeology and zoology to better understand how past humans interacted with animals. The breadth of his work covers many topics including, but not limited to, environmental reconstruction, subsistence studies, and ritual use of animals in the past. At UL, Lafayette, Jim also provides occasional classroom lectures, and he works with individual graduate and undergraduate students and professional colleagues on projects generated from a wide range of disciplines across the campus. Jim’s work as a zooarchaeologist is supported by his remarkable collection of small bits and pieces of bone gathered in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Trained Zooarcheologists can tell what type of animal the bone came from, how old the animal was when it died, and how humans prepared the animal. Bones and shells provide useful information on past diets. Understanding what our ancestors ate means understanding their subsistence strategies and their relationship with the environment. Every observation can contribute to science. 


JIM'S WORK as FOLKLORIST

 Jim has published a large collection of Atchafalaya River Basin recordings now preserved in the Library of Congress. These include interviews with residents of the Atchafalaya River Basin, Louisiana, about their lives, traditions, and folkways, recorded from 1974-2010, as well as approximately 645 digital images documenting the same traditions. Interviews were conducted by Alphe James (Jim) Delahoussaye. Digital images were created by his colleague, Darlene Soulé, of many of the same subjects. Topics include fresh-water fishing and shrimping, other animals and animal husbandry, cooking, medicine, weather, logging, community gatherings, religion and churches, boat building, courtship, marriage, and education. These residents of the Atchafalaya River Basin, many of whom were elderly at the time of the interviews, recall traditions and events experienced from the 1880s and through the 20th century. Photographs are digital copies of original family photographs dating from the 1920s to the present. (Adapted from the US Library of Congress, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. LC The location of the catalog entry at LOC/AFC : https://lccn.loc.gov/2013655203
​Cite or bookmark this finding aid as: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/eadafc.af014002

Jim has collected life stories from descendants of houseboat families who lived in the Atchafalaya Basin. Currently, there are ninety-six recordings dating from 1972. Firsthand knowledge obtained by these interviews; supplements written research data for archives. Jim spent many years working on the ethnology of the Atchafalaya houseboat communities, many of whom he got to know while working and living in the area. His large collection of recordings and related materials from this project was recently gifted to the Library of Congress, where it is housed in the American Folklife Center. Delahoussaye described the events that led to his donation: “The material first came to the attention of Todd Harvey, Acquisitions Manager for American Folklife Center (AFC) in the spring of 2012. He asked if I could send some examples of the taped interviews to him, which I did. He also asked for a description of the location where the people who were on the tapes lived. It turns out that the AFC had nothing in its archives from the Atchafalaya Basin, not even music. After that we just worked out the language for the terms of the gift, copyright, rights retained, etc. and we packed the tapes and sent them. We digitized all the tapes prior to shipment and sent a digitized copy along with the original analog tapes. One feature of the agreement is that LSU and UL, Lafayette are entitled to a digitized copy of the complete set, if desired. My understanding is that processing of the collection at AFC is still ongoing. I have transcribed, in detail, about half of the tapes so far (48) and continue to work on that – several thousand pages of transcription. From the transcripts there are about twenty-five presentations varying in length from thirty minutes to two hours.” 
For expert help with questions about the Caroline Dormon Award For Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist please contact:
LARRY R. RAYMOND, Chair Dormon Award,  LMNA – ?lrraymond@aol.com   318-347-313

For expert help with questions about this Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist, Delahoussaye, please contact:
CLIFFORD J LEGRANGE  – ?LeGrange@cox.net   225 776 2686
Author http://www.bayoupigeonbook.com/

Spam control: Please remove ? for the active email addresses

​
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3/22/2022 0 Comments

LOUISIANA MASTER NATURALISTS CONVENE IN PINEVILLE

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Louisiana Master Naturalists exploring the rich biodiversity at Camp Hardtner in 2018.
Public invited to opening session
 
March 22, 2022, Alexandria/Pineville – Louisiana Master Naturalist Association will convene its annual statewide meeting called “Rendezvous” Friday, April 1. The public is invited to their opening session 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Pineville Convention Center.
 
Area residents interested in the natural world and how to conserve it are especially invited to learn about LMNA and how to activate a local chapter. LMNA president Bob Thomas will introduce the organization, talk about its mission and goals, and provide information about how to get involved. LMNA president-elect Bette Kauffman will present information about nearby Camp Hardtner, a rich natural area and resource that is enrolled in the Louisiana Natural Heritage Program.
 
Thomas is a professor of biology at Loyola University and a herpetologist. His research in Belize led to a newly described species of snake being named after him. He is the founder of LMNA and its first president. Kauffman is a professor emerita of communication at the University of Louisiana Monroe. The material she will present is based on her Master Naturalist certification project, which was conducted as part of the process of enrolling Camp Hardtner in the LNH Program.
 
Day two of Rendezvous will be devoted to workshops and field trips, culminating Saturday evening with announcement of the 2022 recipient of LMNA’s Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist award. A press release naming the recipient and providing additional information about the award will be provided a few days in advance.
 
Notes to editors:

  1. The Louisiana Master Naturalist Association (LMNA) is a 501(3)c umbrella organization that serves seven regional groups or chapters, throughout the state of Louisiana that are tasked with developing a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within our communities.
      These Chapters are: Northwest, Northeast, Central, Greater Baton Rouge, Southwest, Acadiana and Greater New Orleans.   
For more information about the organization, please see our website https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org

​2. Every year the LMNA members convene annually for a rendezvous weekend of environmental education and fellowship activities. Please see https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org/rendezvous-2022.html for this year’s itinerary.
 
For more information and related photos please contact:

Charles Paxton
Communications Officer
Louisiana Master Naturalist Association
1-318-3311531
https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org
​
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