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Marsh Maneuvers is an immersive education program for youth in grades 9-12 that focuses on increasing knowledge, skills, and motivations toward coastal ecology and biology. Since starting in 1989, over 1,900 youth have participated in this program.
Marsh Maneuvers is an educational program of the LSU AgCenter in cooperation with Louisiana Sea Grant, with support from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the McIlhenny Co.
During the summer, four five-day camps are offered to groups of 4-H'ers where youth explore the biodiversity and complexity of the saltwater and brackish marsh environment through a variety of lessons and hands-on activities. Throughout each camp, youth examine the life cycles of important species and habitat requirements for wetlands fauna, learn about hydrology, and participate in exercises on coastal management and restoration. Some of the activities include airboat tours of the the marsh, crabbing and fishing, a mock coastal restoration debate, and a marsh grass stewardship planting project.
A three-day Advanced Marsh Maneuvers camp is held in December for 16 youth who participated in the summer camps for that year. This camp explores freshwater marshes and how they are managed for different natural resources. Activities during this camp include mudboat rides through the marsh, sunrise canoe paddles, and the Amazing Marsh Race, a friendly competition that tests the knowledge and skills that the campers gained during the summer and Advanced Marsh Maneuvers.
For more information, contact Catherine Fox.
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Campers are selected to attend one of the summer camps by their parish 4-H agent(s) between February and April each year. If you are interested in attending, make sure you are enrolled in Louisiana 4-H and contact your parish 4-H agent to learn more about the selection process.
Campers must have completed at least the ninth grade to attend.
Advanced Marsh Maneuvers participants are selected from that year's summer camp participants.
Marsh Dawgs Camp offers high school 4-H members from St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes an immersive coastal environmental experience.
(08/07/23) Marsh Maneuvers is a five-day camp, which teaches Louisiana students about the importance of marsh and coastal environments.
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes, Marsh Maneuvers returned.
(Video 07/15/22) A group of Louisiana 4-H students got to experience the wonders of Louisiana’s coast but learned that this area is disappearing.
