The Caroline Dormon Award for Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist 2024
“NOLA Bug Lady” to receive Caroline Dormon Outstanding Naturalist Award
Louisiana Master Naturalist Association’s annual Rendezvous begins April 12
News Release 4-7-24 + Packet For Immediate Release
April 8, 2024, Monroe – Linda Barber Auld, the NOLA Bug Lady, will receive the Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist Award Saturday, April 13, at 7 p.m. in the Bayou Room of the Abe Pierce III Convention Center at the Monroe Civic Center.
“I am excited and honored to receive the award,” Linda Auld said. Auld follows Dormon’s model in being curious about many things, and that will be the focus of her keynote speech at LMNA’s awards dinner Saturday evening at the Civic Center.
“If Caroline Dormon were around today, she would very likely show up at a Linda event with gardening pruners and seeds to give a helping hand,” wrote Betty Miley, author and native plant nursery owner, in a letter of support for Auld’s nomination.
Auld became known as “the NOLA Bug Lady” through her lifelong passion, commitment to citizen science, teaching, and tireless advocacy on behalf of Louisiana’s natural heritage, especially butterflies and other arthropods, with special focus on the monarch butterfly.
Auld has written numerous articles about bugs, butterflies, and monarchs in particular, including one about the namesake of the award she will receive, Caroline Dormon. Many of her articles have been turned into presentations she has made across Louisiana and in neighboring states. She has raised hundreds of butterflies and has done her own research into how the protozoan parasite, “Oe,” cripples monarchs. She will present a workshop titled “Monarchs, Milkweed, Migration, and Oe” Saturday afternoon, prior to receiving the Dormon Award that evening.
Many of Auld’s articles are available through her website, NOLABugLady.com, as is her recently authored book titled “BugLady’s Butterfly Summer.”
Perhaps Auld is best known for a long career of partnering with schools, municipalities, state agencies, arboretums, and more to make real things happen. In other words, Linda Auld picks up her trowel and gets her hands in the dirt, helping start native plant gardens friendly to butterflies across the state. She is also a long-time counter and compiler of butterflies for the North American Butterfly Association.
“Linda Auld embodies the spirit of Caroline Dormon–a woman whose legacy continues to shape Louisiana's conservation landscape. I [am] confident that her passion, knowledge, and unwavering commitment will continue to elevate our state's natural heritage,” wrote Stephen Norman, M.D.
Auld is the 7th recipient of the award, given by Louisiana Master Naturalist Association at their annual Rendezvous, hosted this year by the Northeast Chapter April 12-14. In addition to speakers and workshops at the Convention center, Rendezvous activities are planned at Black Bayou Lake NWR and Restoration Park in West Monroe.
The LMNA website, https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org/the_dormon_award.html, provides a list of previous winners of the award, as well as additional information about Linda Auld.
The following items are also attached for media use:
Photos suitable for publication
A list of 22 significant accomplishments relevant to the Dormon Award
A list of article titles
Photo captions:
Linda Auld with a monarch butterfly.
Linda Auld teaching about butterflies.
Contacts:
Bette J. Kauffman, 318-372-8117 or [email protected]
Bob Thomas, 504-909-6568 or [email protected]
April 8, 2024, Monroe – Linda Barber Auld, the NOLA Bug Lady, will receive the Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist Award Saturday, April 13, at 7 p.m. in the Bayou Room of the Abe Pierce III Convention Center at the Monroe Civic Center.
“I am excited and honored to receive the award,” Linda Auld said. Auld follows Dormon’s model in being curious about many things, and that will be the focus of her keynote speech at LMNA’s awards dinner Saturday evening at the Civic Center.
“If Caroline Dormon were around today, she would very likely show up at a Linda event with gardening pruners and seeds to give a helping hand,” wrote Betty Miley, author and native plant nursery owner, in a letter of support for Auld’s nomination.
Auld became known as “the NOLA Bug Lady” through her lifelong passion, commitment to citizen science, teaching, and tireless advocacy on behalf of Louisiana’s natural heritage, especially butterflies and other arthropods, with special focus on the monarch butterfly.
Auld has written numerous articles about bugs, butterflies, and monarchs in particular, including one about the namesake of the award she will receive, Caroline Dormon. Many of her articles have been turned into presentations she has made across Louisiana and in neighboring states. She has raised hundreds of butterflies and has done her own research into how the protozoan parasite, “Oe,” cripples monarchs. She will present a workshop titled “Monarchs, Milkweed, Migration, and Oe” Saturday afternoon, prior to receiving the Dormon Award that evening.
Many of Auld’s articles are available through her website, NOLABugLady.com, as is her recently authored book titled “BugLady’s Butterfly Summer.”
Perhaps Auld is best known for a long career of partnering with schools, municipalities, state agencies, arboretums, and more to make real things happen. In other words, Linda Auld picks up her trowel and gets her hands in the dirt, helping start native plant gardens friendly to butterflies across the state. She is also a long-time counter and compiler of butterflies for the North American Butterfly Association.
“Linda Auld embodies the spirit of Caroline Dormon–a woman whose legacy continues to shape Louisiana's conservation landscape. I [am] confident that her passion, knowledge, and unwavering commitment will continue to elevate our state's natural heritage,” wrote Stephen Norman, M.D.
Auld is the 7th recipient of the award, given by Louisiana Master Naturalist Association at their annual Rendezvous, hosted this year by the Northeast Chapter April 12-14. In addition to speakers and workshops at the Convention center, Rendezvous activities are planned at Black Bayou Lake NWR and Restoration Park in West Monroe.
The LMNA website, https://www.louisianamasternaturalist.org/the_dormon_award.html, provides a list of previous winners of the award, as well as additional information about Linda Auld.
The following items are also attached for media use:
Photos suitable for publication
A list of 22 significant accomplishments relevant to the Dormon Award
A list of article titles
Photo captions:
Linda Auld with a monarch butterfly.
Linda Auld teaching about butterflies.
Contacts:
Bette J. Kauffman, 318-372-8117 or [email protected]
Bob Thomas, 504-909-6568 or [email protected]
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Linda Barber Auld received her award Saturday, April 13, 2024. Image provided for free use in media coverage associated with Linda Auld and her works in perpetuity, Copyright LMNA 2024.
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Joyous celebration of our heroine! LMNA's Past President Dr. Bette Kauffman presenting an admirer's victory bouquet to Linda Barber Auld, Outstanding Louisiana Master Naturalist of the Year 2024! Image provided for free use in media coverage associated with Linda Auld and her works in perpetuity, Copyright LMNA 2024.
Additional Information
On Saturday April 13th, the LMNA will hand-over a ceremonial plaque with the names of Dormon Award Winners engraved upon it, to Bayli Brossette, the Curator of Briarwood Nature Preserve for display in that preserve that will be visible at their annual Spring picnic event, April 27th, 2024 and henceforth.
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A list of 22 significant accomplishments relevant to the Dormon Award
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A list of Auld's article titles
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Images for Release 4-7-24
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Linda Auld with a monarch butterfly (Linda w Monarch cropped jpeg).
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Linda Auld teaching about butterflies (Linda w Group jpeg).
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Media Alert April 2, 2024 - watch this space for the forthcoming news release.
“NOLA Bug Lady” to receive Carolyn Dormon Outstanding Naturalist Award
Louisiana Master Naturalist Association to present the award April 13 at 7 p.m.
April 2, 2024, Monroe – Linda Barber Auld, widely known as the “NOLA Bug Lady,” will receive the Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist Award Saturday, April 13, at 7 p.m. in the Bayou Room of the Abe Pierce III Convention Center at the Monroe Civic Center.
Upon receiving the award, Auld will give the keynote speech for Rendezvous 2024, the annual gathering of Louisiana Master Naturalist Association, which is hosted this year by the Northeast Chapter.
Auld is also giving a presentation at 2 p.m. in the Bayou Room. That talk will be based on her research and is titled “Monarchs, milkweed, migration and Oe.” She will be available for interview from 3 p.m. until the evening program, and again after her keynote address.
A news release with photos and additional information about her many accomplishments will be forthcoming within a few days.
Contact:
Bette J. Kauffman, 318-372-8117 or [email protected]
Bob Thomas, 504-909-6568 or [email protected]
April 2, 2024, Monroe – Linda Barber Auld, widely known as the “NOLA Bug Lady,” will receive the Caroline Dormon Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist Award Saturday, April 13, at 7 p.m. in the Bayou Room of the Abe Pierce III Convention Center at the Monroe Civic Center.
Upon receiving the award, Auld will give the keynote speech for Rendezvous 2024, the annual gathering of Louisiana Master Naturalist Association, which is hosted this year by the Northeast Chapter.
Auld is also giving a presentation at 2 p.m. in the Bayou Room. That talk will be based on her research and is titled “Monarchs, milkweed, migration and Oe.” She will be available for interview from 3 p.m. until the evening program, and again after her keynote address.
A news release with photos and additional information about her many accomplishments will be forthcoming within a few days.
Contact:
Bette J. Kauffman, 318-372-8117 or [email protected]
Bob Thomas, 504-909-6568 or [email protected]
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How To Qualify For Nomination
1. The individual must live in Louisiana.
2. The award recognizes a lifetime achievement in the field of natural history.
3. The individual must have made a significant contribution statewide to the understanding of
Louisiana’s natural history.
4. The individual has a track record of sharing his/her contribution with the lay public,
scientific community, or both.
5. The recipient may not be a serving officer or board member of LMNA.
2. The award recognizes a lifetime achievement in the field of natural history.
3. The individual must have made a significant contribution statewide to the understanding of
Louisiana’s natural history.
4. The individual has a track record of sharing his/her contribution with the lay public,
scientific community, or both.
5. The recipient may not be a serving officer or board member of LMNA.
About Caroline Dormon, PhD.
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This award is named for Dr. Caroline Dormon, a Louisiana naturalist, environmental educator, horticulturist, ornithologist, historian, archaeologist, preservationist, conservationist, and author.
Dormon was undoubtedly one of the pioneer interpreters in Louisiana, and in many ways, her influence extended throughout North America and the world. Dormon was the first person to promote and lobby for the establishment of a national forest in Louisiana (Kisatchie National Forest); she was the first woman employed by the United States Forestry Department; she was the only woman appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt to the De Soto Commission (established to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the expedition of Hernando De Soto); and, she was an accomplished author and painter who advocated for the preservation of native wildflowers and wildlife! Besides her formal writings, she corresponded with amateurs and professionals of many interests around the world. She even sent specimens of goldenrod to Thomas Edison who was experimenting with the plant as a potential source of rubber. In 1965, Ms. Dormon received an honorary doctorate from LSU in recognition of her lifetime of achievements. 
Caroline Dormon's Briarwood home is now a very fine private nature preserve, still imbued with the warmth of her enduring spirit. Pioneer in so many ways, she blazed a trail for aspiring naturalists to follow. She encouraged birds to nest in her delightful cabin home, which now preserves key memorabilia of her wonderfully productive life!
Recognition for her wonderful public service!
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Portrait of Caroline Dormon, courtesy and copyright of NSU Libraries, Cammie G. Henry Research Center, Caroline Dormon Collection.
Born in Acadia in 1888, Caroline Dormon developed a keen interest in Botany and amongst other accomplishments was the first female in the US Forestry Service and founded Louisiana’s wonderful Kisatchie National Forest and the Louisiana State Arboretum in Ville Platte.
Furthermore, we can visit her magnificent former home, the very biodiverse Briarwood Nature Preserve to enjoy Louisiana's natural heritage very much as it used to be in her days! This forest is "fourth cut", pretty much as close as we can get to primary forest and the floral diversity is very fine! The preserve is now managed by Curator, Bayli Quick and you can arrange a visit via Briarwood's website & Facebook. 
Click the image above to visit the official Briarwood Nature Preserve website! Call (318) 576-3379 about your visit.
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Previous Caroline Dormon Award Winners
Caption: Dr. Malcolm Vidrine following his award of the 2023 Caroline Dormon Award for Outstanding Louisiana Naturalist photographed with his wife Clair, Dr. Bette Kauffman President of the Louisiana Master Naturalists, and Dr. Bob Thomas Past President at LMNA Rendezvous, Saturday April 22, Hackberry Community Center.
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Released April 19, 2023. All the images of Dr. Vidrine are licensed for media use in connection with his Caroline Dormon Award.
Caption: Dr. Malcolm F Vidrine Caroline Dormon Award Winner with his wife, Gail. Photo and copyright by Romero and Romero.
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Caption: Dr. Malcolm Vidrine, for publicity on his selection as Rivers Prize winner by Public Relations at LSU Eunice, the Center for Louisiana Studies. Copyright Travis Webb 2023.
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Caption: Dr. Malcolm Vidrine working on his mussel collection at LSU Shreveport Museum of Life Sciences. Copyright Caroline Withers 2008, small image suitable for web only.
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2022 Jim Delahoussaye
Mr. A. James “Jim” Delahoussaye was the recipient of the 2022 Caroline Dormon Award. He was nominated for the award by Clifford J LeGrange and C. Ray Brassieur of Acadiana Master Naturalists chapter.
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 Delahoussaye with his book Riverlogue. Jim Delahoussaye image and copyright.
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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! Read More
Among the many books and publications Fontenot has authored/coauthored notable titles include:
Native Gardening in the South (1992), A Cajun Prairie Restoration Chronicle (1995, with Drs. Charles Allen and Malcolm Vidrine), Gulf Coast Birds (2001, with Brian Miller), Louisiana Birdwatching (2004, [25-page introduction] with Bill Thompson III), Vanishing Before Our Eyes (2006, with Dr. Wylie Barrow, Jr.), Wings Over The Wetlands (2008), Watching a Forest Grow (2008). |
2021: William R. “Bill” Fontenot M.S, celebrated ornithologist, native plantsman and wildlife landscape restoration ecologist and author.
Fontenot has served as a member of the Louisiana Ornithological Society’s Louisiana Bird Records Committee, The Louisiana Nature Conservancy’s Technical Advisory Board, and as President of the Louisiana Native Plant Society, President of the Louisiana Ornithological Society, Director of the Gulf Coast Native Plant Conference, and Program Director for the Cullowhee, NC Landscaping with Native Plants Conference. In 2001, Fontenot was honored in receiving the Louisiana Wildlife Federation’s Professional Conservationist of the Year award. In 2009, he received the Louisiana Ornithological Society's President's Award, and the Louisiana Native Plant Society's Karlene DeFatta Award for service to those organizations. In 2011 The Cullowhee Gardening with Native Plants Conference honored him with the Tom Dodd, Jr. Award of Excellence. Bill has published many natural history-related articles in various newspapers, newsletters, magazines, tourist information guides, and scientific journals!
After contributing a weekly nature column in the Lafayette, LA Sunday Advertiser newspaper for 23 years, he now produces a nature blog at https://www.facebook.com/thenaturedude . |
Kelby was awarded his prize by Zoom conference.
Kelby has published the six books named below and contributed a range of articles to popular magazines and journals. Kelby’s writing and recordings constitute a popular and important repository of regional knowledge that spans generations.
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2020: Kelby Ouchley managed wildlife refuges for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for 30 years. Two of his major accomplishments during that tenure are establishment of the Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the Mollicy Project, a 19,0000-acre restoration venture that has been featured in the New York Times. Together with colleagues he has planted over 4 million trees!
Being situated on the outskirts of Monroe/West Monroe, Kelby’s vision for BBLNWR as a primary location for public education and outdoor experience has been well realized. The refuge has a thriving “Friends” group, also initiated by Kelby, that took on converting an old house into a Visitor Center with a meeting room, gift shop and educational exhibits. The Refuge also has an Educational Center with live animal exhibits and a classroom. Kelby is an acclaimed author with six published books, all of which educate and advocate for natural history. His eloquent and accessible “way with words” draws people in; his books are widely read by a general audience. He has also published many articles in both popular magazines and scientific journals. He is probably even better known in Louisiana for Bayou Diversity, his weekly radio program that has aired on the local NPR affiliate, KEDM-FM 90.3, since 1995. Kelby writes and narrates the program. Bayou Diversity frequently shows up on the “favorite programs” list of people who support KEDM financially during its various membership campaigns. Kelby is often called on as a speaker for natural history related conferences and workshops. View Kelby Ouchley's award ceremony on LMNA Channel. |
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2019: Vernon Antoine Brou, Jr., is in his 55th year of catching, mounting, cataloging, and studying insects on a 24-hour, 7-day basis! During 2018, he operated 115 insect traps every minute of every day, January 1 to December 31, as he has done every year for the past half century. He has discovered over 400 new species of Louisiana moths and scientifically described 16 new species of Lepidoptera! He has a personal research collection of about 400,000 insects, mostly Lepidoptera, and especially moths in about 650 drawers. Vernon officially donated an additional >349,000 specimens to museums just in the US, with an appraised value exceeding $600,000. Seven new Lepidopteran species have been named after him. He has provided public displays of his collections at the La. Wildlife & Fisheries Museum, Louisiana Nature & Science Center, Audubon Zoo (“Butterflies in Flight”), and the Audubon Insectarium. Paramount to accomplishing his 50+ year study of Louisiana insects of all orders and families has been the design, testing and development of numerous types of insect traps (more than 400 traps) and the development of associated unique automatic collecting chambers allowing continuous daily and nightly, year-round, sampling without having to be present or actively attend the collecting devices during the collecting activities.
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Dr. Allen's published books include “Edible Plants of the Gulf South,” “Wildflowers of Louisiana,” “Trees Shrubs and Woody Vines of Louisiana,” and “Grasses of Louisiana, 3rd ed”.
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2018: Dr. Charles Allen is a botanist and has collected more than 22, 000 herbarium specimens and published more than 100 botanical articles! Charles is a retired Professor of Biology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and also retired from Colorado State University’s Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands. He is a charter member and past President of the Louisiana Native Plant Society (LNPS). With Dr. Malcolm Vidrine, he helped to establish the Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society and its restoration projects. In recent years, he has offered plant id classes at home and on the road and also teaches master naturalists’ programs. He and his wife Susan own and operate Allen Acres B&B, a nature-oriented paradise in west central Louisiana where he organizes and leads many area field trips. Their property (Allen Acres Natural Area) is constantly monitored for the identification of living organisms (plants, moths, butterflies, birds, etc.). Since 2014 Dr. Allen has been running eleven mercury vapor lights and sheets for an inventory of moth species with the species count at 874 (as of Dec. 24, 2020) and growing!
Named in his honor, the 80-acre Dr. Charles Allen Nature Preserve is located in the biodiverse Ouachita Hills Region on the banks of the Ouachita River near Columbia, Louisiana. The forested land has really interesting ridge and vale topography. It was donated to ULM in the year 2000 by Dr. Harry Winters in honor of his accomplished Botanist colleague, formerly ULM professor, Dr. Charles Allen, the protected area is now administered by the town of Columbia. |