NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
http://www.nsula.edu/news
6/08/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES- The Northwestern State University Department of Biology is partnering with the Coypu Foundation and the Louisiana Native Plant Society to coordinate bog restoration for endangered plant species in Louisiana. Fort he last two years, the group’s focus has been the pitcher plant bog restoration project in Kisatchie National Forest.
“These small, unusual upland wetlands are home to 4 out of 5 species of our nation's carnivorous plants plus several rare orchids and many other beautiful flowering plants,” said Linda Chance, project investigator. “After two-plus years of research and restoration, seven damaged sites are in the restoration process with the help of Kisatchie National Forest personnel, NSU student workers, Natchitoches Parish master gardeners, summer youth volunteer groups and numerous conservation-minded and concerned local citizens.”
Last year's erosion correction efforts were made possible by fill donations from TXI Company in Alexandria. A current grant application is pending with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Progress on this West-central LA Conservation Initiative has been presented this year in several scientific and public forums in west central Louisiana and Texas, including Bloomin’ on the Bricks and NSU Research Day in Natchitoches, the Louisiana Academy of the Sciences Conference in Baton Rouge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Lafayette, Big Thicket Conference in Beaumont, Texas, and the Tyler branch of the Native Plant Society of Texas.
Anyone interested in this project may contact the Project Investigator Linda Chance, at the NSU Herbarium in Rm. 212, Biology Dept., Bienvenu Hall, on the Natchitoches campus or via e-mail at chancel@nsula.edu.
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