[February 2016 Submission]  Becoming a Hobbyist Beekeeper

The worldwide decline in numbers and health of pollinating bees has certainly received a lot of public coverage in recent years, along with multiple reasons that have been suggested for causing this decline.  There has also been unprecedented interest or curiosity among the general public about honey bees and beekeeping.

Some of this interest has come from individuals, couples and families who view beekeeping as a possible pastime and a means to do a little bit to help preserve the key crop pollination and environmental niche that bees fill.  Many baby boomers who are in or near retirement years can remember the rural roots of their grandparents or great-grandparents who likely kept a bee hive or two on their ranches or farms.  They have homes now in rural or suburban areas and also more spare time for hobbies than during their work careers.

Among these baby boomers, and also many people much younger, are those who yearn for a simpler and closer-to-nature existence.  Some are very concerned about the state of our natural environment and issues such as healthier food consumption.  Some are gardeners themselves or have orchards on their property for which pollinating insects can benefit the quality and quantity of crop yield.

There are currently 13 local or area beekeeping clubs active within the state of Louisiana and associated with the Louisiana Beekeepers Association.  Anyone interested in learning more about honey bees and beekeeping can obviously go to a bookstore or library to find and read basic books on these subjects.  As valuable as this information can be, it really can't compare with the more personal information and advice that veteran, local beekeepers can offer.  Few "how to" books consider the specific area conditions and challenges that beekeeping in parts of the Deep South present.  An example is one particular pest, the small hive beetle, that is more likely to result in major hive problems in this region of the country than these beetles cause elsewhere.

Critical to beekeeping is hive location and recognizing the more important trees and plants upon which bees can potentially forage for pollen and nectar.  There's quite a difference in some of these foraging sources even within a state such as Louisiana.  Chinese tallow can be a very important foraging source for honey production in parts of south Louisiana while much less so in north Louisiana.  Row crops such as cotton and soybeans can really help nearby hives produce surplus honey, but beekeepers must be aware of potential crop dusting and pesticide spraying that can be fatal to hives.  Mosquito abatement efforts occur in many Louisiana parishes, and contact with those local officials can help prevent mosquito spraying near bee hives.

Much of Louisiana has abundant wild growth of goldenrod in the fall that can be a great foraging source that allows hives to produce and store honey to keep the hives going through the winter months.  Many beekeepers like to harvest their honey though before the start of this goldenrod bloom, usually in September, because the taste of goldenrod honey is often considered funky, earthy, and less than desirable.

Veteran beekeepers can help beginners get started and have a much higher chance of hive survival and productivity.  They can give advice on how to purchase bees and the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing options, such as "packages," "nucs," or whole hives.  Often beginners get interested in beekeeping and want to start in the spring, but find that some purchasing options require financial commitments in advance and suppliers have limited availability later in the spring.

Some beekeepers started with little cost by catching swarming bees.  How to catch swarms or to remove an existing hive of bees from a tree (a "trap out") can be easy or difficult depending on the actual situation and your knowledge of methods.  Basic clothing, equipment, and supplies for beekeeping are just some of questions that beginners can have.  There's almost always some time at monthly beekeepers’ meetings for beginners to ask veterans specific questions that they may currently have.

Beekeeping clubs in the state vary considerably in terms of their history, number of members or individuals attending monthly meetings, and degree of formal programs and presentations at their meetings.  The Hill Country Beekeepers, based now in West Monroe, started over 25 years ago with beekeepers meeting in Farmerville.   There are clubs in the Shreveport/Bossier City, Pineville/Alexandria, and Vidalia/Ferriday areas, as well as others in south Louisiana.  Clubs often start with a limited number of experienced beekeepers who meet and share knowledge and viewpoints, but grow over time as newcomers visit, benefit from the advice of veteran beekeepers, and join the club.  Some clubs have fundraising efforts, post informative newsletters, and offer various membership benefits, such as "field days" when members can share knowledge and skills in working on actual hives.

The Louisiana Beekeepers Association holds an annual convention on a Friday and Saturday in early December each year with many beekeeping topics and presentations, as well as invite national and area vendors who sell beekeeping equipment and supplies.  The LBA also sponsors an October field day on a Saturday each year at the Baton Rouge Honey Bee Research Lab at which demonstrations and advice are given for more and less experienced beekeepers.  As a new LBA board member this year, I would encourage anyone interested in possibly becoming a hobbyist beekeeper to consider joining the LBA and to attend monthly meetings of a nearby local/area beekeeping club.  I'm biased perhaps, but I've never met a beekeeper who didn't seem willing to help a beginner get started by answering his/her questions.  Some hobbyist beekeepers get interested enough that they eventually have a 50, 100, or more hives and become "sideline" beekeepers who sell honey and other hive products.  We also have some "commercial" beekeepers in the LBA who have many more hives in this state and who haul many trailers of bees to California and other states for crop pollination purposes and fees.  Still, the majority of state beekeepers are hobbyists with a few hives on their own property.

The official web site for the Louisiana Beekeepers Association offers contact information for a club fairly near to you, as well as information on the LBA's activities and mission.  A few of these local clubs in the state have their own web sites or Facebook pages.  One Facebook site, Beekeeping in Louisiana, offers a means to reach and query many state beekeepers.  If you have specific questions about becoming a hobbyist beekeeper, I'll try to respond to these (steve-payne1@live.com) or at least point you in the right direction.

[January 2016 Submission]   Lions and Turtles and Bears, Oh My!

Those who spend significant time in Louisiana forests and on our many state waterways run across an amazing diversity of wildlife.  Whether hunting or fishing for specific prey or just hiking or kayaking for exercise, we can be surprised by unusual wildlife encounters.

My own stroll down a gravel road in rural Winn Parish about three years ago led to my seeing what appeared to be a panther or cougar slowly crossing the road in front of me and less than 25 yards away.  The length between its legs, its tan coloring, and its tail made me certain that this was no bobcat.   On two other occasions in the neighboring woods around then, I heard warning snarls or roars that sounded like those of mountain lions or cougars in zoos and on nature TV programs.  Alone and unarmed, I didn’t begin to attempt to invade that animal’s space.  My guess is that I had seen and heard a Florida panther, based upon photos of these cats on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service web pages.  How the panther migrated or was dropped into the Louisiana piney woods, I don’t know.  Given the increasing presence of feral hogs in the area, though, any panther-like predator would have had plenty prey as food sources.
 

One particular reptile and state resident has been in the news lately.   Back in July, the AP reported that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service believed that federal protection might be needed for the alligator snapping turtle.  In her recent AP article, Janet McConnaughey explained that turtles often stay in slow, deep water of states like Louisiana to try to attract and eat fish using their tongues as a worm-like lure.  These alligator snapping turtles can live well over 50 years and weigh more than 150 pounds.  Louisiana banned commercial taking of these types of snapping turtles back in 2004, and Florida banned any harvest in 2009.  Environmental groups, such as the Center for Biological Diversity, have petitioned that the alligator snapping turtle be added as an endangered species.  The USFWS is currently conducting a 12-month study to help decide whether to classify these turtles as an endangered or threated.  Efforts to protect their habitat, and particularly, reduce the threat of water pollution, might be expected.  Many who fish regularly have had hooks snagged or bitten by these and other types of turtles.  Unless turtle soup was an intended or opportunistic result, extricating hooks from turtle jaws was just a nuisance.

There was wildlife news earlier this year about Louisiana black bears and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to remove these bears from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.  Listed under this act in 1992 and initially gaining federal protection, the remaining Louisiana black bears were largely confined to forests in the Tensas and Atchafalaya River basins.  Since that time, there have been increased state efforts at public education and hunter awareness.  Enforcement penalties are prison sentences of a year and a large fine for killing bears.   The state also started offering a special license plate to residents with the funds raised dedicated to research and education. 

Federal and state level actions have resulted in our black bears now reaching levels of breeding stability or growth so that endangered status will likely end soon.  Confirmed sightings of black bears have occurred throughout the state, with many reports in the northeast and north-central parishes of the state.  Walter Cotton, a supervisory wildlife damage management biologist from the Wildlife Services, reported at a Hill Country Beekeepers meeting in West Monroe over a year ago that young male bears, expelled by their mothers, can roam great distances trying to find their own place.  This movement, particularly, results in human-bear interactions that can be very negative ones.  Several area beekeepers can ready attest that a black bear has utterly destroyed their hives in a particular bee yard.   

Among ways to avoid the presence of troublesome bears is better food disposal and trash management practices.  Cotton explained that the Wildlife Services uses “adverse conditioning practices” on troublesome and captured bears that tend to make them much less likely to want to be around humans. Simply moving these roaming bears to another location often just creates a problem for someone else.  For beekeepers, a simple, electrical fence seems the best approach.  Those experiencing damage or problems with black bears can report this to the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and for emergencies contact local sheriff, police, or LDWF.

It’s an important and sometimes controversial task to determine appropriate federal and state policies for protecting our wildlife resources.  Successes have occurred with alligators in recent decades, and with black bears more recently in this state.   That certainly doesn’t mean that we should be eager for a very “close encounter” with a lion, an alligator snapping turtle, or a black bear.

                                  DECEMBER 2015

Stewards of Our Outdoor Heritage

We owe a great debt to far-sighted individuals and institutions that have helped protect and preserve much of our wonderful outdoor heritage in this country.

A generation of Americans over a century ago, led by President Theodore Roosevelt and other progressives of that era, recognized abuses of our natural environment and pushed for federal and state reforms to set aside and protect public lands.  A second tide of initiatives, during the New Deal of the thirties, tied economic recovery to improvement of public lands through programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps.  A third tide of environmental efforts came in the sixties and seventies resulting in federal acts and regulations to protect vital air, water, and land resources.   Laws and regulations aside, there just seems broadening public and private-sector concerns.  Educational institutions spend more time on environmental issues, and many business corporations are more involved than ever before through their sustainability programs.  Some of the emerging and critical changes, though, involve increasing public volunteerism.  

Most of those who hunt, fish, and otherwise enjoy our still bountiful natural resources seem to have a commitment to "paying back" or "paying forward" for these benefits.  This occurs in several forms.  One has been traditional financial support for organizations working to preserve and increase various wildlife resources.  Another is more recognition of the scarcity of certain environmental resources and conservation efforts to avoid abuse or waste of these resources.   

It's one challenge to pass laws or rules to protect natural resources; it’s another to administer and enforce these effectively.   There will always be those who violate laws for their selfish advantage and public disadvantage.  Rangers and enforcement officials can hardly patrol, even on a periodic basis, much of our over 100 million acres of federal and state public lands where blatant misconduct can occur.  Public reporting of serious offenses to wildlife and environmental officials is an important input toward their recognizing and stopping abuses.  More people carrying cellphones with cameras can mean that abuses are spotted earlier and evidence is available that allows officials to prevent wanton wildlife destruction. 

Environmental volunteerism goes well beyond financial contributions and public reporting of abuses.   Two good examples are the “Master Naturalists” programs in many states, such as Louisiana, and the widespread training programs of the “Leave No Trace” Center for Outdoor Education.  I’ll briefly describe the first of these initiatives now, and cover the concerns and activities of the Center for Outdoor Education in a future issue. 

I’ll start with the Louisiana Master Naturalist certification, because there could be a reader or two who might want to apply for this educational and volunteer opportunity for the next year.  The application deadline for 2016 is apparently the end of the calendar year 2015.  The Master Naturalist program in Louisiana has existing chapters in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport/Bossier City, and Acadiana.  There has been interest and discussion of expanding the number of chapters to other locations, such as Alexandria, Monroe, and Lake Charles.

Master Naturalist programs share some similarities to other training and volunteer programs, like Master Gardener and Master Beekeeper programs throughout our country.  Training topics for Master Naturalist programs are broader and include learning about ecology and ecosystem management as well as include subjects such as geology and soils, plants/trees, ornithology (birds), entomology (insects),   herpetology (reptiles), ichthyology (fish), mammals, and even aspects of archeology and astronomy.   Important for gaining this naturalist certification are field trips where applicants gain working knowledge beyond texts and training manuals.  Volunteer activities, such as helping to improve public wilderness areas and hiking trails, are often options for keeping Master Naturalist status.  

Those interested in possibly applying for Louisiana Master Naturalist certification should contact an existing chapter for an application form.  Chapter officers and contact information for applications can be found on the official Louisiana Master Naturalist website.  General requirements currently for certification include an application fee, 50 or so hours of basic class time and field training/experiences, 20 hours of volunteer service, eight hours of advanced training, and a passing score on the exit exam for the certification process.  Chapters involved in inducting applicants for 2016 certification should be able to provide potential applicants with some indication now concerning the precise meeting dates and locations for their 2016 certification process. 

Many of us have taken some small role as a steward of our natural outdoor heritage.  Others who pushed for environmental reforms, when most did not recognize the scope of the challenge, and those who volunteer now for outdoor programs and volunteer activities, such as Master Naturalists, deserve our special thanks and respect.

This blog includes articles on the outdoors and environment submitted by Steve Payne to The Piney Woods Journal. Appointed as a correspondent on the outdoors and environment for this monthly journal based in Dodson/Winnfield, Louisiana, his articles started appearing in May of 2015.

                         NOVEMBER 2015

Disappearing Monarchs

We've probably all read articles about the decline of honey bees and butterfly populations in the USA. I've been much more attuned, as a hobbyist beekeeper, to information on bees, mite issues, and colony collapse than to news reports on butterfly concerns. A friend of mind, however, is a master naturalist in Georgia, and he has been sending me information on efforts to reduce the alarming declines of a widely-recognized butterfly, the orange and black Monarchs. Property owners can help with Monarch restoration efforts by growing "way stations" that have plenty of milkweed and nectar-rich plants.

Studies undertaken since the mid-nineties claim that numbers of Monarch butterflies in their annual migrations have declined by more than 80 percent. These Monarch migrations cover many thousands of miles from central Mexico to locations in Canada and the northern parts of the USA. Types of milkweed are the only plant on which the Monarchs lay their eggs and on which their larvae feed, so milkweed is critically needed at stops along their long migration paths. A plant that has "weed" in its name can get a bad rep, and some exotic and tropical types of milkweed that were introduced long ago for landscaping purposes were invasive and disrupted natural ecosystems in the Deep South. Milkweed has a milky, latex sap, contains complex chemicals, and is unpalatable for most animals.

Human development along Monarch migration routes and herbicide usage on crops have had devastating effects on native forms of milkweed. Also frequent mowing along our highways has adversely affected much of the habitat traditionally used by Monarchs for food and shelter. States are beginning to practice more diversity of butterfly-friendly roadside planting, but this trend has not yet made that much difference.

Monarch Watch is one of several web sites and organized efforts for research, education, and citizen activities to stem the decline of the Monarchs. There are now thousands of registered way stations where citizens are growing milkweed and other Monarch-friendly plants, but more are definitely needed to bring back these butterfly numbers. You can order seed packages including native milkweed varietals and other key nutrient flowers for butterflies at the Monarch Watch website or contact local nurseries for certain types of milkweed and wildflower seed packages. Be careful to choose native milkweed varietals, and ones that seem better suited to local or regional habitats. Common and swamp milkweeds are often safe choices, and these can also help other types of butterflies, and even attract hummingbirds. The Monarch Watch website offers advice on how to plant and save milkweed seeds, as well as information on the process to register and certify your location, if you would wish to do so, as an official Monarch way station.
 
In choosing locations for milkweed and supporting wildflowers for butterflies, areas that are larger than 100 square feet and that get many hours of direct sunlight are recommended. This summer my own efforts to devote about a third of an acre to wildflowers conducive to bee and butterfly populations met with mixed results. The seed packages that I purchased for that purpose included some flowers, such as Indian Blankets and a few others, that did well in the northeast Winn Parish soil. By late July, though, these were largely destroyed by a marauding bunch of feral hogs who dug holes and made a mess of almost all of my area devoted to wildflowers. The negative impact of our growing feral hog populations in this state is another topic, though, and one that has received a lot of recent attention.

Hope springs eternal, and for next spring and summer I'm planning to include common and swamp milkweed, along with Indian Blankets and other wildflowers in my same location. I can only hope that feral hogs in that area find other places to scavenge, or that I get in some months of bloom before the location attracts those hoofed invaders.


This blog includes articles on the outdoors and environment submitted by Steve Payne to The Piney Woods Journal. Appointed as a correspondent on the outdoors and environment for this monthly journal based in Dodson/Winnfield, Louisiana, his articles started appearing in May of 2015.

                                      OCTOBER 2015

 

 

Clark Creek Natural Area and the Tunica Hills Wilderness Areas

Getting to visit the Rockies, Smokies, or Ozarks may not be possible or an infrequent opportunity. The types of terrain and forests there are certainly different from those encountered in this region of the country. Perhaps the closest thing to those kinds of hiking experiences is an excursion to the surprising Clark Creek Natural Area. Clark Creek and the nearby Tunica Hills Wilderness Areas are about twenty miles off of US Highway 61 and about halfway between Natchez and Baton Rouge. Clark Creek is just across the Mississippi line and eight miles north of the Tunica Hills sites in Louisiana.

Clark Creek Natural Area is a hardwood and pine forest, with more than 700 acres and about 50 waterfalls, a few of these as high as 30 feet. Trails often run along creek beds where you can relax in the shade of the forest canopy and plunge your feet and legs in the clear, running water. Or you can stand under some of the waterfalls and get a refreshing drenching.

 

Due to the erodible character of the bluffs and "loess" soil there, only foot traffic or hiking is permitted at Clark Creek. This enhances the solitude and natural sounds of the forest, creeks, and waterfalls. A wide variety of migratory and resident birds and animals, can be spotted in this special habitat. World record trees found at Clark Creek include the Mexican plum and the bigleaf snowbell. Since camping, hunting, and the use of motorized vehicles are not allowed at Clark Creek, those interested in these activities should visit the nearby north or south tracts of the Tunica Hills Wilderness Areas.

Parts of both improved and primitive trails at Clark Creek are steep and quite physically demanding. You likely won't see people who aren't fairly young or else in good physical condition on anything but the start of the improved trail there. The improved trail leads to miles of a primitive trail loop. A few hours on the primitive trail was a great workout for me, even with occasional stops to observe the many waterfalls. Care needs to be taken to avoid spills on these trails, bluffs, and along creeks, especially after recent rainfall. The lack of potable water on the trails means that water, sunscreen, insect repellent, and other basic hiking preparations are necessary. The historic Pond Store, its current structure built in 1881, is open some weekends or by appointment and is 300 yards from the Clark Creek trailhead. The remoteness of Clark Creek offers very few nearby convenience stores or amenities. Woodville is about 17 miles east of the area and has at least a few accommodation choices, stores, and restaurants. Woodville was the home of Confederate leader, Jefferson Davis, and this Rosemont Plantation offers tours.

Bring or get a printout of the trail map to take with you before entering and hiking the Clark Creek Nature Area. Markers on trails there are often weather worn and difficult to read. The Tunica Hills tracts offer trail information at its kiosks, but trail markers there occasionally need some repair or replacement also. Cell phones in both sites get limited or no reception at spots deep under the forest canopies and along the winding creek bottoms.

The north and south tracts of Tunica Hills are above and below Highway 66 that ends several miles to the west at Angola State Prison.  There are more camping and RV sites near the Tunica Hills tracts than at the Clark Creek site. An easy and short nature trail at the south tract of Tunica Hills has some of the more unusual trees there identified, but the hiking trails beyond this loop are much more rugged and not recommended for those not in good physical condition. Downed trees and branches along creek beds and trails can mean a few detours or some scrambling over this debris. Look also at times of the year for many spider webs along the creek beds and nearby trails. A walking or hiking stick can help to clear these webs and secure better footing on some of the steeper slopes and creek rocks. See the photo and note the orange warning signs at kiosks on both the north and south tracts of Tunica Hills. Black bears can be found in this region along the Mississippi River, and game officials want to be certain that hunters differentiate the appearance of black bears from wild hogs, and they avoid the heavy fine for shooting a black bear.

 

If I had to recommend any single place in the state for a unique, challenging, and enjoyable hiking or outdoor weekend, it would have to be the Clark Creek and Tunica Hills Wilderness Areas. The diversity of outdoor options at the Tunica Hills tracts and the solitude and beauty of the nearby Clark Creek Natural Area make these "must-see" or "not-to-be-missed" natural resources.

This blog includes articles on the outdoors and environment submitted by Steve Payne to The Piney Woods Journal. Appointed as a correspondent on the outdoors and environment for this monthly journal based in Dodson/Winnfield, Louisiana, his articles started appearing in May of 2015.

                           SEPTEMBER 2015

Finding Quality of Life in the Outdoors

Increasing research supports good old common sense in stressing that regular and spirited exercise is strongly linked to well being. A recent study claims that endurance exercise seems to keep our brains working more at full-tilt as we age (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.) People also receive psychological boost from exposure to pastoral beauty in our forests and wildlife areas.

I had a good friend once who suffered from depression to the extent that she finally turned to a doctor for advice. This doctor didn't prescribe drugs in her case, though. He told her at least twice a week to drive to the top of a nearby mountain and national park area and merely walk around that area and observe the vistas and natural scenery there. She said that those solitary excursions were very helpful for her in overcoming many of her depressed moods. Surely such walks will not completely overcome mental concerns such as depression or anxiety, but these can help many in lifting their moods and improving attitudes.

We can join health clubs or make New Year's resolutions with the best intentions to jog, walk or exercise more. Yet we often fail to live up to these good intentions and have excuses galore for our inactivity.

Louisiana residents, like those in several other Southern states, compete for the highest obesity rates in the nation. Mississippi led the nation in 2013 with an adult obesity level of over 35 percent, while Louisiana had a rate of over 33 percent. We also see many children and adolescents who spend almost all of their time on sedentary interests and very little time playing outdoors or getting any kind of exercise. They can get so accustomed to air-conditioned, indoor comforts that spending an afternoon or even an hour outdoors can be an unlikely prospect. There is reason for concern when some scientists claim that current "millennials" will not have as long of a life span as their predecessors, due in large part to inactivity and obesity levels.

Mark Twain has been given credit by many for observing that "golf is a good walk spoilt." Today's golfers much more often spend time riding in carts than getting in a good walk. We are increasingly a society of sports spectators rather than participants. Even many former jocks in high school and college seldom maintain conditioning or exercise levels later, and they start putting on the pounds.

Drivers will spend minutes circling a mall or a shopping lot looking for a parking spot to avoid less than a 50 yard walk to their destination. It's more unusual now to see folks with a yard much less than an acre actually walking a mower rather than riding one or paying someone else to do this. It's amazing what many people will do to avoid even a modest walk or physical exercise.

I will be profiling some of the better outdoor adventure spots in our state in future issues. These are particularly appealing places to explore for weekend excursions with family and friends. Even more valuable for individual health and well being, though, are recreational and outdoor areas within a 15 or 20-minutes drive away from our homes or work sites. Maybe it's a wooded park area with trails or a levee along a river or bayou. Somewhere fairly near each of us is most likely a destination for a regular 30-minute or more hike or walk to clear our heads, breathe a bit freer, and relieve a bit of accumulated stress. No health club fees, no expensive equipment, and no special planning or preparation are needed for this. It can be a special alone time or perhaps a place to meet, walk and talk with a good friend or family member. There are other options such as listening to favorite music or taking your dog along on a hike for mutual benefit. I think the key, though, is finding a little time to open your eyes to the natural world of living and being all around us.

As humans and for millenniums, we were hunter-gatherers who were acutely aware of and constantly interacting with our natural environment. Our bodies and minds still retain this imprint and psychological and emotional benefit from interaction with nature. Obsessive, compulsive focus on other human goals and ambitions can blind and rob us of a more balanced set of priorities in which physical exercise and interaction with nature are an important part.

This blog includes articles on the outdoors and environment submitted by Steve Payne to The Piney Woods Journal. Appointed as a correspondent on the outdoors and environment for this monthly journal based in Dodson/Winnfield, Louisiana, his articles started appearing in May of 2015.

                                  AUGUST 2015

Exploring the Kisatchie Trails and Environs

One of the top hiking, camping and recreational destinations in Louisiana also offers a slice of timber industry history as well as a unique lodging experience.  You will find much to discover and enjoy with a weekend outing and drive to the Calcasieu District of the Kisatchie National Forest in Vernon Parish. 

Hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, camping, and picnicking opportunities abound in thes Vernon Unit of this national forest and near the small communities of Pitkin, Fullerton and Cravens.   The Fort Polk wildlife management area of this district is open for deer and turkey hunting.  Many miles of trails exist for ATV and horseback riding.  There are also scenic areas for nature study, wildlife viewing/photography, or just plain solitude. 

One of several recreational complexes there is at Fullerton Lake.  This is the site of the historic Fullerton Sawmill and the once, thriving timber town of Fullerton.  Fullerton had as many as 5000 residents from 1907 to 1927 during its timber boom with a hospital, bank, auto dealership, an elementary and high school, movie theatre, and other small-town amenities.  Living quarters there with electricity and indoor plumbing were provided for some saw mill managers and employees.  Active operation of the Gulf Lumber Company began in 1907, but the mill closed in 1927 when Gulf Timber moved west.  At one time, the Fullerton Mill was the largest pine sawmill west of the Mississippi River and the second largest in the South.  The saw mill and town were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.   Mill ruins and the lake created for sawmill operations can be observed on the 1.6 mile hiking trail around the lake.

 

Beyond the Fullerton Recreational Complex, there are also the Little Cypress and Blue Hole Complexes, as well as the Enduro multiple-use trail system.  A tranquil area for picnicking and a short half-mile loop walk is the spring-fed pond and Ol’ Sarge Interpretive Trail at the Little Cypress Complex.  I’d recommend visiting that site and the hike around Fullerton Lake even for those with very limited time and interest in walking or hiking.  Brochures at these sites and at other locations in this Calcasieu District (or online information) can help you decide on additional places there to visit and enjoy.

There are typical motel and accommodation options fairly near this area in Leesville, Deridder and Fort Polk.  However, only a few miles south of both Fullerton and the other complexes in this recreational area is a special lodging and educational alternative.   Known as Allen Acres, this is a reasonably-priced bed and breakfast in a beautiful, rural setting.   Dr. Charles  Allen, a botanist and retired UL- Monroe professor, and his wife Susan  have spent years developing gardens designed to attract butterflies and hummingbirds on their property adjacent to the Kisatchie wilderness area.  Just one feature is the national champion gallberry tree that was registered in 2006 by Dr. Allen and is located a very short distance from their property on national forest land.   The Allens raise many varieties of chickens, and fresh eggs dominate their hearty breakfast menu.  Dr. Allen, an authority on the native plants of Louisiana provides numerous seminars, described online, and can conduct tours, for a fee, to rare and interesting ecosystems of this national forest and other Louisiana bogs, prairies, and wildlife areas.  There are five guest rooms at the lodging with a community area and many books and magazine articles written by Dr. Allen and other naturalists.  Susan Allen will likely share with you some of her wonderful butterfly photography as you linger over breakfast and get ready to burn some breakfast calories hiking the trails of the Vernon Unit of the Kisatchie National Forest.

 

 

 

For outdoor enthusiasts and amateur naturalists, you will find it difficult beating quality time spent at the many and varied attractions found in this particular recreational area.

This blog includes articles on the outdoors and environment submitted by Steve Payne to The Piney Woods Journal. Appointed as a correspondent on the outdoors and environment for this monthly journal based in Dodson/Winnfield, Louisiana, his articles started appearing in May of 2015.