Holiday Party

Sunday, Dec. 14 6 pm

11533 Robin Hood Dr

Home of Gwen Pine & Steve Campo 

Let's celebrate the season together! Bring something yummy to share. The club will provide a smoked turkey, Coke, Diet Coke, and iced tea. Gwen's making Wassial (hot, spiced apple cider) if the weather is cold or cranberry punch if the weather is warm.  We'll gather around the fireplace  if the "weather outside is frightful" or just cold!

 

Cat Island Hike Update

If you are planning to attend the Cat Island Wildlife Refuge Hike be sure to call Gwen (272-5207) so she can contact you if the condition of the trail or the weather should cancel the hike.

Cat Island Hike Info

Cat Island Hike

Saturday, November 22,  2014

9:00 for carpooling

10:30 hike leaves Trail Head.

Come and hike with us at Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge near St Francisville known for its old growth cypress trees.  The weather has cooled a bit. Its a good time for a hike! We will meet at Campus Credit Union at Perkins Rd and Quail Dr for carpooling.  Contact Gwen Pine 272-5207 if you plan to attend. We may need to reschedule or make alternate plans if roads are too wet. The Refuge is home to the largest tree of any species east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.  The tree is a Bald Cypress tree 100 feet tall, 17 feet in diameter, and 53 feet in circumference.  It is estimated to be 800-1000 years old.  However, it is only the largest of many large Bald Cypress and other old growth trees we will see in the Refuge. The leisurely walk to the tree on the Big Cypress trail  is less than a mile round trip.  It is an easy walk because the trail is level and has just been improved.   After viewing the tree and surrounding area, we will head to the 2.8 mile Blackfork Walking Trail to observe other interesting flora and fauna.  If you prefer, you may opt for a shorter walk, or none at all. There are no facilities on Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge.  Bring mosquito repellant.

 
More information on Cat Island Wildlife Refuge can be found on this website:
 http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Cat_Island/visit/plan_your_visit.html

photo from
http://stfrancisville.us/images/com_sobi2/clients/21_img.jpg

photo from http://flyingcypress.blogspot.com

WILDLIFE AREA DISAPPEARS FROM BAYOU LIBERTY STATE SCENIC WATERWAY

Bayou Liberty is a scenic bayou in St Tammany Parish near Slidell.  "Bayou Liberty leads to Lake Pontchartrain and is one of the top scenic bayous in Louisiana. It's about a 15 minute ride by boat to the lake. The bayou is perfect for fishing, jet skiing, kneeboarding, or taking a leisurely cruise to see the old homes on the bayou. It is a bird sanctuary with bird feeders and purple martin house. Slidell is thirty minutes from New Orleans but has the feel of stepping back in time to a slower way of life."

http://www.vrbo.com/258118

 A 60 acre parcel of property along Bayou Liberty is being developed as an Industrial Park.  The developer obtained an exception to zoning laws from the Parish Council.  He also received permission to clear cut the property.  According to a local birder, the area cleared was home to deer, foxes, pileated woodpecker, bald eagle and a variety of other wildlife. The developer defends the removal of the pine trees and underbrush by promising that he will replace it with better, nicer looking plants like oak and cypress.  Now the developer is applying for another exception to the zoning regulations. He wants to put baseball fields on his property.  Residents fear the bright lights of the ball parks will destroy the natural feeling of the area. 

A resident tells me the St Tammany Board of Adjustment meets on Nov 5, 4:00 - 5:30 to consider his exception to the regulations.  The meeting will be held at the St. Tammany Parish Council Chambers , 21490 Koop Drive, Mandeville, LA 70471