Office of Coastal Management

RESEARCHERS GO DIGGING IN THE MARSH FOR SPECIAL PLANTS

Coastal project Field Trip—June 2, 1999

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) in Lafayette will travel to the Salvador Wildlife Management Area in St. Charles Parish to collect plants indigenous to Louisiana marshlands for a study sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

DNR Secretary Jack Caldwell, NWRC Dr. Rebecca Howard, and a research crew have scheduled a field trip on Wednesday, June 2nd, to gather needed data and to identify native plants with traits valuable to coastal restoration projects. Plants that are fast growing and tolerant of stressful environmental conditions such as flooding are of particular interest.

The field trip includes surveying the wetlands for appropriate plant populations, digging up plant varieties, and collecting samples for transport to greenhouses at NWRC.

In addition to the National Wetlands Research Center study, DNR’s Biomass Project is being conducted by the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Louisiana State University and the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service.

PLANT RESEARCH — FIELD TRIP — WED. JUNE 2, 1999

EDITORS: Please call for boat/seat assignment if you plan to attend this event at 225-342-8955.