50 plus students in Mrs. Joann Haydel’s Earth Science class planted 350 Cypress and Water Hickory tree saplings in the Bonnet Carré Spillway. Mrs. Haydel’s Earth Science students started these trees from seeds in April 2023.
“The park ranger at the spillway tagged our trees so we can keep in touch and monitor progress,” said Mrs. Haydel. “We learned that the cypress and persimmon we planted last year are doing well, but several of our trees didn’t survive because of the drought. In April 2024, the students will plant new seeds, so next year’s class will have a whole new crop of trees to take care of and plant next winter.”
Dominican was awarded a STEM Library Lab Service Learning Program Grant for the school’s partnership with the LSU Coastal Roots Program and the Bonnet Carré Spillway.