Sunday, November 23, 2014

Last Week on the Refuge


The new entrance sign to headquarters, visitor center and where we live while volunteering here at Southeast Louisiana NWR.

Our duties today include mowing at Bogue Chitto. This is one of eight refuges in the complex.

When we go out, we take care of several things while there.

This is a portion of what the area looked like when we finished.

Bogue Chitto has 36,000 acres and surrounds Pearl River. 

This is where we worked on one of the trails in the last blog post.

While there, we blow off the boardwalk.

This is the new addition of the boardwalk where the trail starts and meanders out in the woods (the trail in the last blog post).

Wallace is using the blower

while I use the telescopic trash grabbers to retrieve bottles, cans and bait dishes!!!

I can reach out 20 feet with those things...they really come in handy at several places.



This board needs replacing which we have already taken care of (no photo).

This is just one of four fishing piers at this spot where there is a fishing derby for the kiddos in the summer.


Then we were asked to install two more boat cleats at this fishing pier at Bayou Savage.

We also replaced one of the rail boards.

We have been given the okay to purchase things we need to take care of things we see. 

Then we mowed here.

I was careful to stay clear of the edge...with that ztr mower, it can get away from you!!!

Wallace used the weedeater to finish up the edge...it needed to look good because

of a meeting here with a conservation group.

It was early when this picture was taken.






There is always time to play with a critter...a garter snake.  There was a visitor who got to see it...and he appreciated it.




Do you see the little white container? It is a geocache.

We opened it up and put it back. We don't know what to do with a geocache.
I know several of you out there do this sort of thing, but we never have.



Well, low and behold, here is another one...the little black container!!!

We find them only because we are checking out the stability of the decks.

Okay Sharon and Bill, and Mark and Teri...come on over to find them!!!





We will give you a hint...this is the area where they are hidden.


Now, ain't it cute? I tried to put it on my shirt but he preferred my hand!!!


I fixed my chicken spaghetti recipe and rounded up the other volunteers over for eats and cards in our laundry room. We never got around to playing cards but enjoyed each others company. We have really enjoyed working alongside these volunteers as everyone is dedicated to WORK.

Our time will be up December 14th when we move over to Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR.

Until next time...

5 comments:

  1. You may not know it, but physical geocaches like that are illegal on National Wildlife Refuges and are usually removed. Virtual geocaches are okay.

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    Replies
    1. They were okay at Moosehorn...we will ask about that tomorrow and then we will know for sure.

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  2. That telescoping grabber is great. Can't tell you how many times it would have been great to have one.
    I'm not as wild about the "critter," even a garter snake is unwelcome around me.

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  3. Actually, physical geocaches are okay to be on a refuge if approved or placed by the management. (or at least have been in the past) In fact, several refuges have their own geocaches hidden as part of the youth programs and teach GPS skills or earthcache type stuff. There was an article in one of the past Refuge News or Refuge Updates or one of those publications available in a lot of the VCs about refuge geocaching. I think Aroostook Friends had one planned before we left... using the Don Lima Trail as the source. Maybe one of these days we'll get back to Louisiana and we'll get those you show... now I'll know where to look ;-)

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  4. One of these days we’ll have to swing by and find those geocaches. It’s fun (and frustrating) to look for them. It’s a great way to get out and explore and area.

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