During our site visits we will be in good hands. We'll post info about some of our Site leaders here.
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Beth Rist
Born in South Louisiana…calls herself a “River Rat” as she loves everything about any type of waterway. Beth has always had a fascination with not only water but nature and recently acquired her Master Naturalist Certification. She has four kayaks and is always looking for more to explore nature with. Beth dreams of bayous, petrified wood, fossils, oceans, shells, driftwood, bones, fish and water fowl. She loves kayaking and prefers it rather than motorized boats as she loves the quietness and the fact that no pollutants are going into the waterways. She also loves cats, fishing, exercising, and “the quiet”. |
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Irvin Louque
Irvin Louque is the founding president of the Southwest Louisiana Master Naturalists and has been a Louisiana birder for most of his life. He studied Natural Resource Conservation and Management at McNeese State University, culminating in a thesis describing the distribution and abundance of two map turtle species (Graptemys sabinensis and G. pseudogeographica kohnii) in the Mermentau, Calcasieu, and Sabine rivers. Professionally, he worked to bring people of all ages and economic backgrounds closer to nature with the City of Lake Charles Recreation and Parks Department for six years. Since 2021, he has been the Whooping Crane outreach coordinator for the International Crane Foundation, primarily leading research-based efforts to reduce poaching incidents through education and outreach. Irvin and his wife, Samantha, are in the process of increasing their backyard native plant community and growing a wide variety of vegetables and herbs in their Lafayette yard. In addition to birds and herps, Irvin has a keen interest in pollinators, native predatory insects, Cajun prairie, and the wonderful habitat that local crawfish and rice fields provide to wading birds, particularly Whooping Cranes. Irvin Louque Whooping Crane Outreach Coordinator-Louisiana He | Him | His INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION |
Carolyn Miller
Growing up on the Gulf Coast and living in the country, I was aware of how life should go hand and hand with nature. Learning about the Master Naturalist program was very exciting. That created a variety of new experiences for me.
I spend lots of time outdoors birding, gardening, on the water fishing and crabbing, shelling on the beach. I like crafting with natural materials I collect.
Growing up on the Gulf Coast and living in the country, I was aware of how life should go hand and hand with nature. Learning about the Master Naturalist program was very exciting. That created a variety of new experiences for me.
I spend lots of time outdoors birding, gardening, on the water fishing and crabbing, shelling on the beach. I like crafting with natural materials I collect.