THIBODAUX, La. — Graduate students in Nicholls’ Environmental Law and Policy course traveled to Grand Isle, Port Fourchon, Golden Meadow and Lockport as part of a Biology workshop concentrating on life and law on the Louisiana coast.
The Master of Science students participated in a service project in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy to teach young students at Grand Isle Elementary about the ecology of their barrier island home. The class also visited the Nicholls Coastal Field Station at Port Fourchon to observe dolphins and receive lessons on deploying a castnet as a way to collect estuarine animals.
Additionally, the graduate students received a special tour of the Leon Theriot Lock at Golden Meadow and learned about the Lock’s operations from Kirk Matherne, giving them the opportunity to ride on top of the South gate as the lock was closed in preparation for high tides caused by a steady east wind.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to explore the Island with the kids and teach them about the unique ecology Grand Isle has to offer. From the beaches and Chenier forests to the marshes, the students were able to learn how important their home is to protecting Louisiana as a Barrier Island. Meeting with the kids and exploring their home further pushed us grad students to understand why it is equally important that we continue efforts of restoring Louisiana’s coast, not only for the plants and animals, but for the people and cultures who live here too,” said Michelle Lignieres, a Master of Science student who attended the workshop.
The final stop for the class was the Lockport Elevated Wetland Boardwalk to observe the solitude of a cypress-tupelo swamp. The class is instructed by Dr. Gary LaFleur and Dr. Himanshu Raje as part of the Master of Science in Marine and Environmental Biology program.
This program allows students to take an expedition through Louisiana’s swamps, marshes and coastal areas. With state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and easy access to multiple field sites, the graduate students are well-prepared for real world marine and environmental careers. The program is thesis-based, and research projects have ranged from the molecular to the ecosystem level and everywhere in between. For more information on the Nicholls Master of Science in Marine and Environmental Biology program, visit https://www.nicholls.edu/biology/master-of-science-degree-program/.
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