Friends of Black Bayou once again invites the public to enjoy a day of celebration at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, October 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a nature walk at 9 a.m. This award-winning volunteer group is happy to celebrate 25 years of the community’s faithful support for this beautiful natural jewel by presenting a day of free family fun! The day is a part of National Wildlife Refuge Week.
Activities for all ages (10 am-2 pm) include the 11 am 25th anniversary commemoration, tree planting, and turning of the Blue Goose Migration Marker, along with the annual photo contest exhibit, native animal displays, nature book sale, free canoeing and kayaking, newly designed T-shirts, face painting, human-sized animal puppets, button making, “backyard bass” game, bird ID game, zoo animals, science fun, recycling and anti-littering information, weather and climate-related activities, arts and crafts, artists working on-site, creative photo ops and more. Several community organizations, scouts, high school clubs and local universities will assist with the activities, along with Fish and Wildlife Service staff and FoBB members.
Preceding the other activities will be a 9 am nature walk, “Walk with the Wildlife,” led by FoBB member Joel Roane. All walk participants should meet at the boat launch parking lot by 8:45 am, wearing shoes appropriate for rough ground.
As always, the Fall Celebration day will include food, but this year there’ll be food trucks with a variety of snacks and lunches for sale. Also served will be Black Bayou Lake Mud Pie, originated at 1997’s first Fall Celebration, along with other sweets and lemonade provided free by FoBB members.
Founded in the summer of 1997, Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge is north of Monroe, just off Highway 165 on Richland Place. (There is an identifying sign at Hwy. 165, about one mile north of Lumen.) The Refuge was established for wildlife conservation as well as environmental education and wildlife-dependent recreation. Fishing and hunting, as well as nature photography, hiking and wildlife observation are some of the activities enjoyed there.
The Friends of Black Bayou was involved in the Refuge’s development and its continuing successes, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FoBB won the National Friends Group of the Year award in 2004.