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Dow Grants Are Seeds for Wetland Appreciation, Conservation and Education

What better way for young students to understand science and the environment than through hands-on learning in the swamps and bayous of Louisiana?

Community grants totaling more than $110,000 from Dow Louisiana’s St. Charles Operations between 2005 and 2010, along with many Dow employee volunteer hours, have helped make Wetlands Watchers Park the centerpiece of the LaBranche Wetland Watchers Program.
One of those grants, a $20,000 donation, funded a project that gave students the opportunity to develop nature trails throughout the 28 acres of land donated to St. Charles Parish by the Pontchartrain Levee Board.  Wetlands Watchers Park opened in October 2010, and is a haven for education, recreation and restoration in Norco.

The LaBranche Wetland Watchers is a nationally acclaimed student program at Harry Hurst Middle School that began in 1999 and is led by teacher Barry Guillot. The Wetland Watchers, consisting of Hurst 7th graders and students throughout St. Charles Parish, complete several activities throughout the year that are focused on education, service and awareness.

“As a result of Dow’s donation, Hurst students not only designed the nature trails, but also researched and developed all of the background information about the rich history of the area to create brochures for self-guided tours along the trails,” said Guillot. “Dow’s generosity is a direct example of how the businesses in this area enhance the education of our students and develop areas for families to spend quality time together.”

Dow has been a proud sponsor of this project since its inception in 1999, and employees continue to volunteer during Wetland Watcher service trips and the annual Wetlands Celebration that have involved over 6,000 St. Charles Parish students from different schools.

Among its showpieces is the Dow Palmetto Outdoor Classroom, which allows 5-8th grade students to learn about the challenges facing wetlands in southeast Louisiana. Each year, more than 1,500 students make field trips to the site to complete water monitoring; collection and identification of animals such as crawfish, mussels, aquatic snails and worms; soil and plant identification; tree planting and more.

“The funding of this outdoor classroom is a great example of Dow’s commitment to the local community and to sustainability,” says Tommy Faucheux, St. Charles Operations Public Affairs Manager.

Other park features include a nature trail, a grand pavilion and picnic shelters.