Members of the Department of Biological Sciences at ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ State University, accompanied by a volunteer, planted smooth cordgrass in the manmade pond at the ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Farm on Thursday, June 10.
The team acquired the grass from Elmer’s Island. Pictured from left are Dr. Allyse Ferrara, associate professor of biological sciences; Des Allemands native Lisa Breaux, a graduate student with an academic focus on marsh plants; John Ferrara, father of Dr. Ferrara, visiting from Chardon, Ohio; and Dr. Quenton Fontenot, associate professor of biological sciences. Gary Fine, research associate and plant material specialist at ÐÓ°É´«Ã½, also helped with the planting – the purpose for which is to increase the abundance of smooth cordgrass for replanting efforts wherever necessary. The biology team wants to have a reserve of different strains of plants for different ecotypes, sampled from several areas throughout the coast. Fine and Sam Wise, a ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ graduate student, constructed the pond. The overall effort is part of the Louisiana Native Plant Initiative.