Youth Wetlands Education & Outreach Program

🪺🌳 Teams of 4-H’ers in 6th-8th grade from across the state competed in the Jr. Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) State Contest held at the Louisiana State Arboretum at Chicot State Park! These 4-H’ers used teamwork, creativity, knowledge, and critical thinking to complete a series of challenges related to habitat management, create management plans for the Prothonotary Warbler, and present their plans to the judges! After the contest, youth completed two services projects – building and installing nesting boxes and cleaning out beds for the pollinator garden at the arboretum.

Thank you to all the volunteers and the Arboretum’s Interpretive Ranger Kim Hollier and her staff who made this event a success!

Congratulations to our winners!
🥇First Place - Vernon Parish
🥈Second Place - Red River Parish
🥉Third Place - Winn Parish Team #1

Congratulations to Wetland Ambassador and EBR Parish 4-H member Elizabeth Xu for being named a 2026 Coastal Art Contest Winner at Cook-Off for the Coast! She won first place in the Ages 13-17 division! The theme for the contest was “Hope for the Coast.”

🌊🦀 The Wetland Ambassadors had a fantastic spring retreat at Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) this past weekend! They got to go out on a research vessel and sample marine species! They also learned how to test water quality, do some marsh transecting, and some lab skills like using microscopes and dissecting squids. A big thanks to the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) educators who made this experience possible! 🐬🔬

📣 Calling all high schoolers! Marsh Maneuvers offers four five-day, overnight camps throughout July for high school 4-H members to explore and learn all about coastal Louisiana through hands-on activities such as airboat tours of the marsh, crabbing, marsh grass planting and more! 🦀🐊
📆 Contact your parish 4-H agent if you are interested in this opportunity by March 3, 2026.

💲 Cost: $150 camper registration fee (includes meals, lodging, and a t-shirt)

🔍 Need to find your parish 4-H agent’s contact information? Use this link: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/parishes

🍀 Not in 4-H yet but interested in this opportunity? Work with your parish 4-H agent to enroll today!

Marsh Maneuvers is an educational program of the LSU AgCenter through the 4-H Youth Wetlands Program, in cooperation with Louisiana Sea Grant. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the McIlhenny Co, and the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority also provide support for this program. Learn more at https://www.lsuagcenter.com/.../projects/ywp/marsh-maneuvers.

🦆🪺 The Louisiana 4-H Wetland Ambassadors visited Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge this weekend, as part of their on-going Wood Duck nest boxes service project! The ambassadors collected data on the content of the boxes from the previous nesting season. Then, they cleaned out the boxes and put in fresh wood shavings for the upcoming nesting season. 💚

Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex

Today is World Wetlands Day, and Louisiana 4-H'ers are doing their part to advocate for wetland conservation through the LSU AgCenter Wetland Ambassadors program. As part of the LSU AgCenter’s 4‑H Youth Wetlands Education and Outreach Program, Wetland Ambassadors learn about the importance of Louisiana’s inland and coastal wetlands and the challenges they face through hands‑on activities, leadership development, and real‑world conservation experiences.

The program provides educational resources, field‑based learning opportunities, and leadership training that help participants understand wetland ecosystems and share that knowledge with their communities. Our goal is to inspire youth to protect and speak up for Louisiana’s wetlands today—and for generations to come. 🌱💧

Learn more about the program and how to apply to be an ambassador here: https://tinyurl.com/47vdtfrs.

📣 Calling all high schoolers! Marsh Maneuvers offers four five-day, overnight camps throughout July for high school 4-H members to explore and learn all about coastal Louisiana through hands-on activities such as airboat tours of the marsh, crabbing, marsh grass planting and more! 🦀🐊

📆 Contact your parish 4-H agent if you are interested in this opportunity by March 3, 2026.

💲 Cost: $150 camper registration fee (includes meals, lodging, and a t-shirt)

🔍 Need to find your parish 4-H agent’s contact information? Use this link: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/parishes

Campers who attended Marsh Maneuvers last year said:
👉 "Marsh Maneuvers was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I had the best time meeting new people, making amazing friends and helping grow the wetlands. My favorite part was [all of it], but I had the best time planting the mash grass."
👉 "I can say that Marsh Maneuvers was truly something special and something I will remember for a very long time. I encourage every 4-H’er to attend this camp and learn just a little bit of what truly makes Louisiana what it is."

🍀 Not in 4-H yet but interested in this opportunity? Work with your parish 4-H agent to enroll today!

Marsh Maneuvers is an educational program of the LSU AgCenter through the 4-H Youth Wetlands Program, in cooperation with Louisiana Sea Grant. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the McIlhenny Co, and the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority also provide support for this program. Learn more at https://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/kids_teens/projects/ywp/marsh-maneuvers.

Attention high schoolers! Contact your parish 4-H agent if you are interested in learning more about or going to Marsh Maneuvers!

📣 Calling all high schoolers! Marsh Maneuvers offers four five-day, overnight camps throughout July for high school 4-H members to explore and learn all about coastal Louisiana through hands-on activities such as airboat tours of the marsh, crabbing, marsh grass planting and more! 🦀🐊

📆 Contact your parish 4-H agent if you are interested in this opportunity by March 3, 2026.

💲 Cost: $150 camper registration fee (includes meals, lodging, and a t-shirt)

🔍 Need to find your parish 4-H agent’s contact information? Use this link: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/parishes

Campers who attended Marsh Maneuvers last year said:
👉 "Marsh Maneuvers was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I had the best time meeting new people, making amazing friends and helping grow the wetlands. My favorite part was [all of it], but I had the best time planting the mash grass."
👉 "I can say that Marsh Maneuvers was truly something special and something I will remember for a very long time. I encourage every 4-H’er to attend this camp and learn just a little bit of what truly makes Louisiana what it is."

🍀 Not in 4-H yet but interested in this opportunity? Work with your parish 4-H agent to enroll today!

Marsh Maneuvers is an educational program of the LSU AgCenter through the 4-H Youth Wetlands Program, in cooperation with Louisiana Sea Grant. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the McIlhenny Co, and the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority also provide support for this program. Learn more at https://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/kids_teens/projects/ywp/marsh-maneuvers.