LASOAR and the Increasing Threat of Childhood Obesity

Piney Woods Journal Submission 2017


Childhood and adolescence obesity rates continue to rise nationwide, according to a recent report released by the Center for Disease Control. Despite many public health efforts to improve nutrition and physical activities, the percentage of obese children has more than tripled since the 1970s. One in five kids ages 6-11 and one in five adolescents ages 12-19 are not just overweight, they are considered obese by recognized health standards. Mississippi, Louisiana and other states in the Deep South are among those with much higher childhood obesity rates.

There are organizations and individuals in Louisiana that deserve credit for actively confronting this growing childhood health concern. One good example is LASOAR or the Louisiana Association of Sports, Outdoor Adventure and Recreation. LASOAR focuses on the poor exercise habits of many children and encourages them to try new and different types of physical activities.

Laura Palmer, CEO, and Hannah Mason co-founded this non-profit organization in 2016. Laura was previously a physical education teacher who grew up in Iota, and Hannah is a public relations consultant. They sought to make outdoor and exercise activities for children more accessible and affordable and to help establish a stronger connection between kids and the natural world.

Laura Palmer's degree and background are in exercise science, and she has earlier served as a strength and conditioning coach. She and her husband are Master Naturalists who enjoy kayaking and hiking in many of our state parks and wilderness areas. Currently Laura is LASOAR's only full-time employee and she directs the organization's neighborhood sports programs and visits to various outdoor adventure sites all over the state. Archery, swimming, paddling/kayaking, art and nature education are among the many activities that LASOAR provides. The organization has after-school activities several times each week at three neighborhood school locations in the Lafayette area. Lafayette is the initial hub city for LASOAR, but its expansion plans include at least one other hub location in north Louisiana.

LASOAR has received assistance for its programs from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and from private donors. Currently, Laura reports that she is trying to secure funding specifically for more binoculars and compasses for the kids interested in programs such as birding and orienteering. Their Saturday hikes in state parks and wilderness areas are guided by Laura and have a strong educational focus. At least one parent or guardian accompanies the child (ages 4-14) on these hikes and adventures. Parents often want their kids to have wonderful outdoor experiences, but many do not have the knowledge of the better places to visit and want the assurance of a trained guide on these outings. Cell phones and electronic devices stay in the pockets of guides and parents and do not disrupt the kids' exposure to nature. Hydration, sun protection, and planning for possible emergency needs mean that parents have fewer worries or concerns on these outings.

LASOAR communicates directly to local school officials concerning its activities and schedules as well as through flyers distributed at these schools and shared by students with their parents. Starting with 25 children initially, LASOAR has grown to having 600 children involved in the Lafayette area recently. More funding, primarily for more staffing needs, would allow LASOAR to initiate a second hub location, possibly in the Alexandria, Shreveport or Monroe area. You can visit the organization’s web site for more information on the mission, goals, activities, and leadership of LASOAR. Other long-established organizations are obviously working hard to address issues of childhood obesity and related challenges, but LASOAR certainly seems a worthy alternative for some parents and donors to consider.

                                                 Laura, parents and kids on the hiking trail

                                                  Canoeing at Hodges Garden State Park

Beekeeping and Apitherapy

Piney Woods Journal Submission 2017


Issues related to the health of our bee and butterfly species continue to receive popular press attention. Pollinator protection has become a much higher-profile concern for many in states such as Louisiana. Organizations and associations devoted to addressing these concerns have been created, and their efforts deserve even broader support, given the importance of pollination to fruit, grain, and vegetable production.

I have commented previously in this journal and elsewhere about the increased popularity in recent years of beekeeping as a hobby and the growth of registered beekeepers in this state. People become interested and involved in beekeeping for many reasons. More folks are also visiting local farmers markets and grocery stores seeking raw, pure, local honey instead of purchasing honey that may well be imported, adulterated or blended with corn syrup or preservatives. Honey is just one, among many other food items, that are often part of a healthier, “farm-to-table” national trend.

A few people that I know or have just met became beekeepers for a quite different health-related reason. Certain maladies and diseases, including Lyme Disease and forms of arthritis, have been greatly aided by getting stung daily or frequently by honey bees. This apitoxin can also be injected. Some beekeepers and associated laboratories, mostly in Eastern Europe and the Far East, collect and refine the toxin sucreted by honey bees for medical or even cosmetic purposes. Apitoxin is an alternative to botoxin in some facial cosmetic products.

Apitoxin, though, is only one of many hive-related products. Much more commonly beekeepers collect other substances, and sell these to health-food stores. Propolis, or a resin that bees use to coat or insulate some hive surfaces, has antiseptic and medicinal properties. Pollen or “bee bread” can also be collected and sold, as well as royal jelly, a secretion of worker bees to feed emerging queen bees. Some beekeepers also take wax from bee comb and combine this with other ingredients to produce scented candles, lip balm and lotions. Beekeepers often supplement their sales of honey or their pollination fees by producing and offering these and other hive by-products.

The American Apitherapy Society through its web site provides information on hive-related alternatives for health care. Apitherapy is used to treat a growing list of illnesses and to alleviate pain from chronic and acute injuries. Detailed information is available on their web site and through their quarterly journal on emerging research, the large network of like-minded individuals sharing such knowledge, and those offering various apitherapy services.

This year I’m serving again as a board member and now as the secretary of the Louisiana Beekeepers Association. Some of our 17 local beekeeping clubs in the state have had speakers and programs on the topic of apitherapy, and plans exist now for this topic to be part of our 2017 annual state beekeeping convention in Pineville on November 30- December 2. Those at all interested in anything related beekeeping are encouraged to visit one of the 17 local clubs near them and attend our upcoming Pineville convention. If you have questions, you can certainly e-mail me at steve@labeekeepers.org.

Longleaf Vista Wilderness Area and Nearby Trails

Piney Woods Journal Submission 2017


You don't have to travel out of state or much beyond our state borders to find some unusual hiking, recreation, and outdoor adventures. Last year, I described the many attractions found in the Clark Creek and Tunica Hills Wilderness Areas north of St. Francisville. The bluffs and waterfalls at Clark Creek, in particular, make this trail unusual and memorable.

Another distinctive and special trail system can be found in the Kasatchie Hills Wildness Area hardly 30 miles southwest of Natchitoches. Often called the Little Grand Canyon of Louisiana, the Longleaf Vista Trail and surrounding area doesn't really have that much in common with the Grand Canyon. Yet this area certainly offers vistas and rugged terrain nothing like what one would expect to find in Louisiana. Kistache Hills is composed of sediments, as horizontal layers of silt, sand and clay, that were deposited long ago. Its narrow valleys were created by the force of streams that long eroded the softer sediments and left the more resistant sandstone at the tops of small mesas or buttes.

The Longleaf Vista Trail is only a mile and a half loop, but changes in elevation of several hundred feet and the many stone steps up and down several buttes make it at least a moderate workout for most people. Visitors can easily walk the short paved walkway to the stone gazebo and overview, but almost all visitors there with me on a recent Monday afternoon did not venture to the trail extending downward from the gazebo. On this trail are many interpretive markers explaining the surrounding vegetation and trees. These markers seem quite dated though, and in many cases the nearby trees being particularly described were no longer there to view. The markers do a better job of explaining the topography and geologic changes that produced this site.

Only a very short distance from the Longleaf Vista Trail is the trailhead for both the Backbone Trail (over seven miles in length) and the Caroline Dormon Trail (over 10 miles), which have portions open for trail biking. Some consider the Backbone Trail as the best hiking experience in Louisiana with its scenic overviews and encounter with Bayou Cypre at about its midpoint. You can get a good "feel" for the varying terrain of both the Longleaf Vista Trail and the Backbone Trail by viewing one of several YouTube videos available online. I recommend the videos produced in 2016 and 2017 for these two trails by Eric Heber. These certainly were accurate representations of many of my own experiences on two different trips and can give you a good preview of what to expect on such hikes. All of these trails obviously offer bird watching and wildflower viewing opportunities, depending on the particular season. The pine forests there might even offer a few a chance to spot a red-cockaded woodpecker. There are plenty of spots to camp also in this part of the Kisatchie National Forest, but campgrounds are usually primitive and some require driving on fairly narrow dirt or gravel roads.

To get to this destination, take I-49 and exit at LA Hwy 119. Heading south on LA 119 for slightly over five miles will take you to Forest Hwy 59, called the Longleaf National Scenic Byway. This 17-mile byway has a reduced speed limit and reminded me a bit of the solitude of driving the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. Turning right onto FH 59, you travel about three miles to reach the sign for the Longleaf Vista Area. A paved path leads from the parking lot to the gazebo and trail.

It's interesting reading comments from visitors to Longleaf Vista and the surrounding area. They seem surprised to have lived so long in the state and yet never have known at all about the beauty and uniqueness of this wilderness area.

 

Permaculture as an Ecological Alternative

Piney Woods Submission 2017

Several months ago I commented on “naturescaping” and some advantages associated with cultivating native Louisiana plants on our farms and residential properties. Many of us are familiar with various gardening and horticultural activities, and we might even spend significant time with these. The term, permaculture, is probably an unfamiliar one, though, for most folks.

Permaculture is a set of ancient techniques for land usage, soil practices, and plant cultivation. Its strategies, principles, and ethic are often found in indigenous regions of the world. Instead of reliance on typical Western farming/production technologies and application of commercial fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, those practicing permaculture focus on more traditional and natural methods to improve soil quality and promote plant life. Permaculture, as formally developed and described by several Australians back in the late 70’s, encourages more sustainable, ecological, and low-cost landscaping designs. There is usually emphasis on no-till cultivation, perennials versus annual plants, and mutually supportive plant arrangements for nitrogen feeding and soil improvement. Certain composting and recycling practices are important, as well as landscaping and contouring approaches that allow more water retention and natural irrigation. Landscape design and plant layout are strongly influenced by the direction of the sun and prevailing winds. An outside band of existing, natural vegetation often provides a buffer zone for inner circles of carefully-considered trees, bushes and plants.

Interest in permaculture as an alternative life-style ethic has been growing. Various states have their own permaculture societies with regular meetings and Facebook sites. In Louisiana, there are area groups, such as the Acadiana Permaculture Guild in Lafayette as well as enthusiasts meeting in and around New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport.

The Brockoli Patch is a chemical-free fruit and vegetable farm near Lafayette. Brock Barker has about seven acres of land and has created an incredible biodiversity there. He graduated about a decade ago from ULL with degrees in management and horticulture and is committed to permaculture, its ecological principles, and sense of community. He travels occasionally to places such as Guatemala to teach and learn with those engaged in indigenous farming. Brock has a converted bus on his property in which a visitor interested in permaculture and willing to work and learn can stay for a month or so.

Beyond those like Brock Barker who have created a life style heavily influenced by permaculture principles, there are many more of us with family farms, orchards, and gardens who could greatly benefit from learning the basics of permaculture and experimenting with some of the more simple and personally adaptable suggestions found in the permaculture literature. Just a short listing of a few books that might help you learn more about permaculture ideals and practices are found below: Bill Mollison’s Permaculture: A Designers' Manual (2012); Toby Hemenway’s Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition (2009); & Christopher Shein’s The Vegetable Gardener’s Guide to Permaculture (2013).

                                                             Brock's Compost Pile

                                                          Pond with Irrigation Canals

                                     Surrounding fruit trees with supportive plants for nitrogen feeding

Lake Bistineau State Park       

Piney Woods Submission 2017

My latest visit to another one of our state’s many wildlife and recreational areas was to beautiful Lake Bistineau State Park in June. Lake Bistineau and the surrounding area had been just far enough away from me over the years that closer or special destinations had usually drawn me.

Lake Bistineau State Park has long attracted its share of visitors from Shreveport/Bossier City and other locations in that part of the state. Along with Toledo Bend, the lake has been well known as a good fishing option. Many coming to the park probably take the Minden exit off of I-20 (LA 371) south to Sibley, next travel on LA 164 west to Doyline, and then go south on LA 163 to the park. The reservoir is 14-miles long, extends across three parishes, and features many old cypress tress draped with Spanish Moss.

Extensive flooding in 2016 closed the park for a while and caused evacuations and housing repair expenses for many residents near the lake. The rental cabins at Lake Bistineau State Park received as much as 30 inches of water, and still require renovations before reopening to the public. Along with the drawdown of the lake until late November 2017, these factors have led to reduced visitor numbers to the park recently. The drawdown, up to a maximum of eight feet, is intended to reduce further expansion of salvinia. Although the boat launches at the park are closed, boaters can access the lake from several other locations in the area during this drawdown. Caution is advised, though, in checking for underwater obstructions during this low-water period.

Premium and improved campsites are available at the park, as well as other amenities. There are good multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and bird watching. These include the Willis Homestead Trail (3.8 miles), Blue Wing Trail (1.2 miles), Koasati Trail (2.0 miles), Pintail Loop Trail (1.3 miles) and the Discovery Circle (.4 miles). The last of these seems ideally suited for children and tall tales around the campfire in the evenings. The 6-mile Equestrian Trail there is open to riders with their own horses.

Not as difficult or challenging as the highly-touted biking trails at the Ruston/Lincoln Parish Park, Lake Bistineau trails are fairly wide and grassy, without many roots and ruts to negotiate. For all but more advanced hikers and bikers, the trails offer more than enough training or workout opportunities. The trails, such as Blue Wing, did need a bit more maintenance when I hiked and rode there in mid-June. There were a couple of trees down, and blocking trails, due to very recent storms.

Diverse outdoor and recreational activities have been held at the park this year, including the 16th Annual Mardi Gras Parade in the Park in February, the Sportspectrum 10-mile and 3-mile Trail Runs the following Saturday, and the Pro/Am Lake Bistineau Disc Golf Open in May. The pro purse for their disc golf tournament this year was over $1000. The Lake Bistineau State Park Facebook site offers descriptions and photos of many of these and other park attractions and events.

Along and close to I-20 through north Louisiana, we are fortunate to have so many nice options for outdoor adventures. Poverty Point, Black Bayou Lake, Lake D’Arbonne, Lake Claiborne, and Lake Bistineau are just some of the destination possibilities. 

Native Plants and Naturescaping      Piney Woods Journal Submission 2017

I had the opportunity in the late seventies and early eighties to live in Arizona. There were many obvious and stark contrasts between my native Louisiana ecosystems and those I found in Arizona. One very apparent contrast involved the high residential water bills in places like Tucson and elsewhere in much of the state. Many of those who settled in Arizona in the early and mid-twentieth century brought conventional notions of landscaping and lawns, but faced growing, and then astronomical, water bills to maintain their lawns and gardens. A trend toward “native or desert landscaping” had taken hold years before and could easily be observed then with many residential properties.

Louisiana and states in the Deep South have traditionally had abundant precipitation and water resources, so pragmatic or economic concerns that turned many Arizona residents decades ago to “naturescaping” hardly existed. Southerners truly loved their often large, luxurious and well-manicured lawns. Population and increased water demands, as well as periods of drought and depleting aquafers, in parts of the Deep South have been slowly changing our views about conservation and our natural environment. These and related concerns are influencing current decisions made by ranchers, farmers, and even residential landowners.

Just one example of this trend in Louisiana is the formation of the Native Plant Initiative (LNPI) in 2011. This multi-agency initiative is dedicated to helping conserve a vanishing state natural resource, our native plants. Partners include several state universities, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Wetlands Research Center, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, and a number of conservation societies. This initiative involves continuing research as well as efforts to encourage state residents to support more public and private restoration of native Louisiana plants.

The advantages of naturescaping are many, as summarized by information provided by the Folsom Native Plant Society and the Louisiana Native Plant Society. Native plants are acclimated to our climate and conditions, so they are almost care free, and they do not require commercial fertilizer or pesticides. Perhaps more importantly, native plants provide important and increasingly depleted forage for wildlife, especially attracting birds, butterflies and other helpful insects. Native plants also can reduce erosion and improve soil and water quality. The cost and time for naturescaping and using more native plants is much less over time than costs for traditional landscaping. One downside concern for at least some gardeners and landscapers is that native plants possess greater genetic diversity and, as a result, less predictability of plant shape, size and bloom colors. For those highly valuing well-defined geometrical plant or bloom patterns, this can be a disadvantage. Even this might actually have benefits for some, though, in a yard having a more natural look and also yield nice surprises in plant appearance as these mature. Websites like Plant Native (plantnative.org/how_intro.htm )and Wild Ones (wildones.org/learn/local-ecotype-guidelines/) offer instruction and advice to property owners who would like to try naturescaping or just introduce certain native plants in landscaping their yards.

One possibility for many property owners might be experimentation in devoting a part of their existing lawns to native plants. I have tried to do more of this myself recently. I contacted the Ecology Center at UL-Lafayette last fall about an area of our backyard that almost always accumulated excess water and was difficult to mow. I was looking for recommendations for landscaping a small area (only about 800 square feet) with native plants that would thrive in this area of often standing water. Since I keep one of my beehives in this backyard, I also wanted to use native plants that would offer some bloom forage for these bees. I had already decided on using cuttings from one native plant, Buttonbush, and wanted a couple of other appropriate recommendations. The Ecology Center representative suggested Clustered Bushmint and Rose Mallow from their seed stock. They planted these seeds, and I picked up 100 of these small plants in March. I’m hardly much of a gardener, but the photos show part of the small pond constructed and planting area then. Native plants need initial watering and time to get well established, so I’ve been led not to expect much apparent growth in this first year or so.

Near the small pond and planting area in one photo you can probably see a conservation gadget known as a native bee hotel/home. Many types of native bees use small holes or crevices in trees to propagate. Some rain and excess sun protection can be provided and small holes can be drilled (3-5 inches) into the ends and sides of small logs to offer native bees a potential nesting area. The design used here is a very simple one. Other ideas for constructing backyard native bee hotels can be found at the LSU Ag Center website, entomology.lsu.edu/assets/beehotels.pdf, in a short article written by Chrissy Mogren and Kristen Healy.

There are other steps that property owners can take to protect and enhance our state’s natural environment. Basic “permaculture” approaches, in contrast to typical small farming and gardening practices, can often offer Louisiana residents less reliance on and expense for water, commercial fertilizers, and pesticides. A trip to your parish library or a little time online can provide you with a good introduction to topics such as naturescaping and permaculture.

Literature and Love of Nature

 --- Piney Woods Journal Submission 2017

It is difficult for us today to begin to imagine the lives and experiences of farmers and rural residents in this state one hundred years ago. Even the radio was unavailable in 1917. Churches, schools, community stores and perhaps in some areas a local theater were places for social interaction, but often at the investment of a lengthy walk or ride.

Piney woods residents then did have the beauty and majesty of the remaining virgin forests. The virgin pine industry had produced a long economic boom and much prosperity for some that was ebbing by this time. Many others, particularly in Winn Parish, had been drawn to the politics of populism or even socialism, partially as a rejection of often controlling outside interests, income inequality, and early industry accidents and deaths.

Educational and travel opportunities then were obviously limited. The populism of Huey Long, that would provide more and better schools and roads, was yet to come. Men and women from rural parts of the state usually had limited schooling, as boys and girls were often pressed quickly into work roles in support of family needs. Still, the hope for greater and more varied learning, outside the confines of daily farm or business life, was strong for many.

The Chautauqua movement was a form of adult education that met some of these hopes and was popular from the 1870s to the Depression era. These summer assemblies and programs spread throughout rural areas in America. They brought forms of education, entertainment and culture to local communities through visiting teachers, speakers, preachers, musicians, and other performers. There were different forms of Chautauqua and summer camp meetings offering different secular and religious educational experiences. Permanent sites in local areas occasionally had cabins or lodgings available, as well as had camp grounds where families could erect tents and stay for up to several weeks. The Louisiana Chautauqua was established in 1889 on a scenic tract near Ruston, and other locations in the state had summer Chautauqua or religious camp meetings sites. Anne McLean, a journal correspondent, provided some years ago a much more detailed explanation of the Ruston Chautauqua site’s history.

My grandfather, I.B. Payne, was born in 1879 as the youngest of seven children, in Winn Parish. One of his brothers was a saw mill owner/operator, and the other a musician and hymn writer. I.B. or Buddy Payne was a farmer and community store owner/operator in the Hudson Community. He and his two brothers would meet together many evenings. Their favorite discussion topic, beyond perhaps local politics, was their mutual love for pastoral poetry and works of writers such as William Cullen Bryant, Walt Whitman, James Greenleaf Whittier, James Russell Lowell, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Into his nineties, my grandfather would impress others with his recitation by memory of hundreds of lines of pastoral poetry by such authors.

My grandfather and others like him seemed alive with a spirit and love of nature that they saw and experienced much more directly and vividly than many in later generations. If we try, though, we can still see some that love and respect for nature and the environment in the words or quotes of the authors below:

“We need the tonic of wildness... We can never have enough of nature.” Henry David Thoreau

 
“There is a love of wild nature in everybody, an ancient mother-love showing itself whether recognized or no, and however covered by cares and duties” John Muir

“On my cornice linger the ripe black grapes ungathered; Children fill the groves with the echoes of their glee, Gathering tawny chestnuts, and shouting when beside them Drops the heavy fruit of the tall black-walnut tree.” William C. Bryant

“The spring came suddenly, bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout and hands full of flowers.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Inebriate of Air — am I — And Debauchee of Dew — Reeling — thro endless summer days — From Inns of Molten Blue.” Emily Dickinson

We can note this celebration of the transcendental quality and restorative power of nature in such authors. A focus on nature and the environment extends beyond these authors to later poets such as Robert Frost and Robinson Jeffers, and even today. The degree, though, that most of us experience our natural environment does not seem to have much literary or poetic connection. Perhaps we are missing something that many of our grandparents and ancestors felt and really appreciated.

Kincaid Lake and the Wild Azalea Trail

--- Piney Woods Journal Submission 2017

The Kisatchie National Forest includes more than 604,000 acres and is divided into five managed districts. Many of the state’s better outdoor and recreational areas are located in the Calcasieu District (headquartered in Boyce), the Caney District (Homer), the Catahoula District (Bentley), the Kisatchie District (Provencal), or the Winn District (Winnfield). Outdoor activities in the Calcasieu District are particularly impressive, and I have written earlier about recreational and hiking areas in the Vernon Unit of this district. The Evangeline Unit of this district, encompassing Kincaid Lake and the Wild Azalea Trail, deserves as much acclaim.

Many state residents obviously travel along major highways such as I-49, US 167, US 165, and LA 28. Taking a driving break or pit stop during these trips often makes some sense. A very attractive and convenient place to stop and explore is the Wild Azalea Trail or the Kincaid Lake Trail System. Just 10 or so miles west of Alexandria, off LA 28, is Lake Kincaid. South from Alexandria about 15 miles and off I-49 is the town of Woodward, and the start of the 26-mile long Wild Azalea Trail. The Wild Azalea Trail proceeds in a northwesterly direction to Valentine Lake, as well as eventually intersects the additional trail system in the Kincaid Lake area. The Wild Azalea Trail is the longest hiking trail in the state, and it passes through several different types of ecosystems.

Fishing is an obvious option in both Valentine and Kincaid Lakes, but I’ll focus here on hiking and biking options. I’ve hiked several times, and for a few hours each trip, along sections of the Wild Azalea Trail in the last two years. The terrain and hiking/biking ease or challenge varies along sections of this trail. I prefer the part of this trail that finally reaches Valentine Lake and the separate 3-mile loop trail around this lake. Trails that are hillier and have scenic vistas of longleaf pines overlooking lakes are usually my favorites.

 

For similar reasons, I really enjoyed hiking recently the Lakeshore Trail that follows ridge lines around part of nearby Kinkaid Lake. This Lakeshore Trail is characterized as a moderately difficult hiking and biking trail. The five miles out and five miles back on this trail demand several hours of time and at least moderate fitness or conditioning to complete. The views along the trail, often overlooking Kincaid Lake below, make it worth the work. I visited on a Monday afternoon and encountered several hikers and two serious mountain bikers huffing and puffing along the trail.

The Lakeshore Trail starts at the East Kincaid Lake Boat Launch and is only one of several trail options near Kincaid Lake. The Lakeshore Trail ends at the Lemotte Creek Trail. The longer Kincaid Trail itself starts at the pay station at the main entrance of the Kincaid Lake Recreation Complex. It ends just past the Lemotte Creek Trail at the junction of the Wild Azalea Spur Trail.

 
Only a whole lot of ambition and staying in the area, or camping in the recreational complex, for a number of days would allow a person or family a chance for a complete survey of all of the hiking and biking options alone. I prefer visiting this area occasionally for a few hours and conveniently sampling many different parts of it. Alexandria and nearby residents have the luxury of a very short drive to these incredible recreational choices.

For the competitive and truly ambitious, there is the annual Wild Azalea Trail Challenge held in January. Those who have intermediate to advanced levels of trail running or biking abilities can enter a 13-, 27- or 50-mile trail run, a 27- or 50-mile mountain bike ride, or a 27-mile bike/run duathlon. I have particular respect for four 2017 finishers of the 50- and 27-mile trail runs, two of whom were in their sixties and two in their seventies. Similar praise goes to four of the nine 2017 finishers in the 50-mile mountain bike challenge who were all 50 or more years of age. I run an occasional 5K or 10K, but the distance and terrain involved in these types of challenges are definitely out of my league.

            Briarwood and Caroline Dormon's Legacy

                             --- Piney Woods Journal Submission 2017

There is more incentive than ever to visit and explore the Briarwood Nature Preserve soon. This birthplace of naturalist Caroline Dormon, located just off LA Hwy 9 a few miles south of Saline, was declared a National Historic Place in November 2016. Keilah Spann, Regional Historian of the National Park Service, and several others who had been associated with Briarwood worked to nominate and gain this new status for the preserve.

Briarwood Nature Preserve is known to many residents from that area of the state and by those who are aware of the history of Caroline Dormon. Many school children and adults have toured the preserve and participated in its learning activities over recent decades. Briarwood deserves much greater acclaim, though, as an outstanding destination spot for visitors who are interested in forestry, botany, horticulture, and back-to-nature experiences.
Unlike state and national parks, Briarwood Nature Preserve is managed as a non-profit foundation and depends solely on contributions from individuals and organizations. Among its many goals are the protection of its old-growth forest, wildlife, and rare and endangered plants there, as well as continuing quest for ecological and biodiversity education. The Interpretive Center at Briarwood was completed in 1993 through grant funds and contributions to its foundation. Annual basic membership in the Briarwood Foundation is $25 for individuals and $35 for families, and there are higher levels of annual or lifetime contribution to this foundation. The preserve is open to visitors for guided tours on weekends from March through May and in October and November. Special tours for groups of five or more and off-season tours are available by appointment only. Currently tour admission is $5 per person.

Just a few of the tour attractions include Caroline Dormon's log cabin built in 1950 as her dream home, the Grandpappy Pine, the Wing's Rest Pond, the Bay Garden, and the Cypress Swamp. The log home serves as a museum now and is preserved as it was during Dorman's later years. The huge, long-leaf, native-growth pine that she called "Grandpappy" is estimated to be over 300 years old, and its reflection can be seen in the Wing's Rest Pond. The Bay Garden is a bog-like area of the preserve where Dormon planted and experimented with native and hybrid iris and other flowers. Plans are underway to build soon a wooden boardwalk over a part of the Cypress Swamp there. Two generations of the Richard Johnson family have dutifully served as caretakers for the preserve since Dormon’s death in 1971.

Caroline Dormon was a visionary with a vast depth of knowledge about natural resources of the state and an iron-willed determination to preserve Louisiana’s native forests. She was born in 1888 at this Briarwood site which was a summer home for the Dorman family who lived in Arcadia. Her father was an attorney who loved nature, and Caroline as a child shared his passion and would often accompany and learn from him on their outdoor adventures at Briarwood. Caroline attended and graduated from Judson College in Alabama in 1907 with a degree in literature and fine arts. Her particular talent was drawing and watercolor painting which she later displayed so well in her many books and articles on native trees and flowers.

Dormon has been credited as the first American woman to serve as a forester and was a conservation educator for the state’s Department of Conservation. She developed Louisiana’s first program for conservation education that served as a model for other southern states. She led lobbying and other efforts for over a decade to protect tracts of virgin timber land and surrounding areas to be included in a national forest. Unsuccessful in her battle to preserve these virgin timber tracts, Dormon was able to get these cutover and reforested lands officially included within the Kasatchie National Forest in 1930. She honored the indigenous people who had long inhabited those parts of the state with the name of this national forest. Caroline Dormon received an honorary doctorate from LSU in 1965 for her many contributions to botany and forestry education, her accomplishments as an author and artist in her drawings and paintings, and her furtherance of the cause of conservation through reforms and legislation. Dormon’s life and many accomplishments are described in detail in several books, including The Gift of Wild Things (1990; Center for Louisiana Studies) by Fran Holman Johnson. The Briarwood website and Facebook pages also present much more information and colorful photos displaying the beauty of the preserve.

Special dates at Briarwood for the spring of 2017 are Saturdays on February 25 and April 1. The first date is Tom Sawyer Day when volunteers meet in the morning to tackle some work projects at the preserve. The Spring Fundraising Picnic for the preserve in April offers good food, music, and fellowship. Foundation members get periodic newsletters about various preserve activities. New or returning visitors can contact the Johnsons at briarwood@gmail.com or by phone at (318) 576-3379 to schedule guided tours. I would particularly recommend Briarwood Nature Preserve for families with school-age children who are looking for an interesting weekend excursion with many types of learning opportunities.