The Dirt

A Blog of the Acadiana Native Plant Project

Featured Native Plant Educators: The Vidrines

Feb 71 min read

Featured Native Plant Educators: The Vidrines

This month we salute Malcolm and Gail Quillman Vidrine of Eunice. They are both authors, and educators and are long time advocates for...

Featured Native Plant Advocate and Volunteer: Gail Evans

Vilma Fernandez

Aug 20, 20231 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocate and Volunteer: Gail Evans

Featured Native Plant Advocate and Volunteer: Gail Evans Gail Evans is a passionate promoter of native plants and pollinators. After ...

Dona Weifenbach

May 8, 20232 min read

Advocate for May 2023: Phyllis Griffard

When I met Phyllis in early 2017, we were learning to propagate mistflower under the tutelage of June Walker at June's greenhouse in...

ANPP Volunteers

Apr 15, 20233 min read

Linda Barber Auld, NOLA BugLady

When I asked Linda if she would like to be featured as native plant advocate of the month and select the plant of the month for ANPP's...

Janice Eaton and ANPP's founding mothers

ANPP Volunteers

Apr 15, 20232 min read

Janice Eaton and ANPP's founding mothers

Yes, it sounds like a great name for a rock band! Janice Eaton was the first president of the Acadiana Native Plant Project. She is...

Native Plant Advocate of the Month: Jim Foret

ANPP Volunteers

Feb 16, 20232 min read

Native Plant Advocate of the Month: Jim Foret

Jim Foret is a man of many talents. He is currently an instructor at UL Lafayette teaching courses on plant science, urban tree...

Native Plant Advocate of January 2023: Dr. Brandon Ballengee

ANPP Volunteers

Jan 5, 20232 min read

Native Plant Advocate of January 2023: Dr. Brandon Ballengee

Dr. Brandon Ballengee is an Artist and Biologist living in the country near Cecilia with his wife Aurore, a Sustainable food Educator and...

Featured Native Plant Educator: Dr. Charles Allen

ANPP Volunteers

Dec 27, 20222 min read

Featured Native Plant Educator: Dr. Charles Allen

This month we salute one of Louisiana’s most dedicated native plant educators, Dr. Charles Allen. Dr. Allen is a botanist, plant...

Featured Native Plant Advocates: ANPP’s Mini-grant Recipients

ANPP Volunteers

Dec 27, 20224 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocates: ANPP’s Mini-grant Recipients

This month we would like to let you know about two completed native planting projects initiated through ANPP’s mini-grant program. We...

Featured Native Plant Advocate and Satellite Nurseryman : James Stelly

ANPP Volunteers

Dec 27, 20222 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocate and Satellite Nurseryman : James Stelly

Driving to Eunice to the backyard nursery of James and Linda Stelly, you have to look closely for a small sign off the highway that...

Featured Native Plant Advocate and Grower: Robby Maxwell

Kelly Guilbeau

Dec 27, 20222 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocate and Grower: Robby Maxwell

Robby Maxwell is a fisheries biologist with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and a longtime native plant advocate who...

Dr. William Reese: Gone But Not Forgotten

Dona Weifenbach

Sep 30, 20223 min read

Dr. William Reese: Gone But Not Forgotten

My first introduction to Louisiana native plants was through a class taught by Dr. William (Bill) Reese in 1977. I was new to Lafayette...

Native Plant Advocate of the Month: Blair Begnaud, Assistant Director of Sustainability at ULL

Heather Brown

Sep 1, 20221 min read

Native Plant Advocate of the Month: Blair Begnaud, Assistant Director of Sustainability at ULL

By: Phyllis Griffard Blair Begnaud, Assistant Director of Sustainability at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Blair Begnaud is an...

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Steve Dale Nevitt

Heather Brown

Aug 1, 20221 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Steve Dale Nevitt

By: Phyllis Giffard Native plant advocate Steve Nevitt distributes native prarie seeds. Steve is a past president of the Cajun Prairie...

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Eric Vanbergen

Heather Brown

Jun 1, 20221 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Eric Vanbergen

By: Phyllis Giffard Native Plant Advocate Eric Vanbergen began promoting natives at a very young age. This month we salute Eric Vanbergen...

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Dr. Pam Blanchard

Heather Brown

May 1, 20221 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Dr. Pam Blanchard

By: Phyllis Giffard Pam Blanchard, coordinator of the LSU Coastal Roots Program This month we salute Dr. Pam Blanchard, coordinator of...

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Dona Weifenbach

Heather Brown

Apr 1, 20221 min read

Featured Native Plant Advocate: Dona Weifenbach

By: Phyllis Giffard Donna Weifenbach, ANPP President in 2022 This month we take advantage of our President Dona Weifenbach’s short hiatus...

Heather Brown

Mar 1, 20222 min read

Featured Native Plant Educator: Dr. Charles Allen

By: Phyllis Giffard Louisiana's most dedicated plant educator, Dr. Charles Allen This month we salute one of Louisiana’s most dedicated...

Featured Native Plant Promoter: Kimberly Hamm

Heather Brown

Feb 1, 20221 min read

Featured Native Plant Promoter: Kimberly Hamm

By: Phyllis Giffard ULL Graduate Student, Kimberly Hamm This month we salute Kimberly Hamm. Kimberly is a graduate student at UL...

Featured Native Plant Promoter: Patti Holland

Heather Brown

Jan 1, 20221 min read

Featured Native Plant Promoter: Patti Holland

By: Phyllis Griffard Ecologist Patti Holland is the Native Plant Promoter of the month. This month we salute ecologist Patti Holland....

The Dirt

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