Public Outreach and Community Involvement

Dr.Eddie Millhollon discusses environmental issues and the workings of the Constructed Wetland Project with a group of students from Oil City Environmental Magnet School. Mrs.Cindy Kilpatrick's 5 th grade class view a scale model of the Constructed Wetland Project located at the Red River Reasearch Station. After a questiion and answer period, the students were taken on a tour of the actual wetland before returning to Oil City. Populating the Constructed Wetland Project with suitable plant species was greatly aided by the abundant assistance donated by the Northwest Louisiana Master Gardeners Association. Here Cooperative Extension Horticulturist Denyse Cummins prepares to plant several containers of Alamo Switchgrass. In addition to its research importance, the Wetland Project also provides a hands on learning experience for local university students. Pictured, LSU-Shreveport professor Dr. Dalton Gossett tours the project with his Environmental Law and Compliance class. Construction of the wetland has been aided by collaborative support from the NRCS(Natural Resources Conservation Service) and the DEQ(Department of Environmental Quality). Here members of the NRCS prepare collected plants for storage in a temporary nursery.

The Sciport Discovery Center's AgFest 2005 provided an excellent opportunity for aquainting more of the public with the work being done at the LSU Red River Research Station on constructed wetlands. Here, Jim Hayes speaks with interested onlookers about the project describing its workings and showing this group an actual live video feed of the wetland which was projected on the wall. The 2005 Northwest Louisiana Watershed Summit was hosted by the LSU Red River Research Station. Part of the day's events was a guided tour of the Constructed Wetland Project. Here Dr. Millhollon speaks with a group of participants. The Constructed Wetland Project was one of the featured exhibits of the Red River Research Staton's Field Day 2005. In the photo, Dr. Eddie Millhollon addresses a group of visitors about the project. Many of the plants introduced into the Wetland Project were gathered locally. In the photo, members of Shreveport Green collect suitable plants at a nearby wetland.