https://www.coushatta-environmental.org/

Coushatta Environmental Division, 1940 CC Bel Road, Elton, LA (2026)

09/04/2026

Happy National Wildlife Day 🐾

On this day, we take a moment to recognize the animals that play valuable roles in Coushatta's culture and heritage. Native Americans have always had a close relationship with wildlife and management practices to form relationships that allow generations to thrive alongside each other. Taking on the symbology of specific animals to represent extended family, inherited from mothers, the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana recognizes 7 clans today. These clans are the 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐫, 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲, 𝐛𝐨𝐛𝐜𝐚𝐭, 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐬.

We'd also like to give an honorable mention to the gar fish, 𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘪, for it's importance placed on our tribal seal. The garfish was an important source of the food and tools for the Coushatta people. The alligator gar symbolizes our tribe's history and respect for the gifts of the creators.✨

Remember, nature provides for us, so we shall nourish in return. 💚

08/25/2026

Cane on the Brain! 💚

As many of you know, our program works alongside Natural Resource Dept. using Endangered Species Grant funding from Bureau of Indian Affairs to work on initiatives that increase native and culturally important plants for the Tribe. One of those valuable plants continues to be the rivercane (Arundinaria tecta & gigantea)!

Rivercane is a large, woody grass, one of the only bamboo species native to North America. Traditionally harvested for various uses by Native American tribes, rivercane habitats have declined by over 98% over the years due to a multitude of urban changes. The desire to reestablish canebrakes around the reservation to make cane more accessible for harvest and improve bayou bank stability and ecological diversity is what led to this project. We're proud to say that we've found a significant increase in the growth and health of several canebrakes around the reservation, with several protected sites seeing year round success! For reference, I'm 4 ft 9 in. tall, but the cane has grown to be easily 12 feet tall!

The installation of this interpretive educational rivercane sign is a wonderful addition to the learning opportunities that Camp Coushatta is able to provide for both our own tribal members, as well as the public! This amazing sign was designed as a collaborative effort with Coushatta's Heritage Department to include historical photos and facts about the cultural role rivercane plays within tribal communities. If you'd like to view this sign in person, you can find it near Camp Coushatta's pavilion on the left before you enter the path towards the camp.

08/25/2026

𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬!✨

We're excited to announce that we are working with the Louisiana Bayou Society to plan a local bayou clean up towards the end of this year! 🛶

We plan to tackle roadside litter and waste that fills the bayous (Cypress Gully and tributaries of Bayou Blue) that surround and drain into the waterways surrounding the Coushatta Reservation in Elton. Our Elders nostalgically recall the days when these bayous ran clear and clean. They could comfortably swim, launder clothes, and even hold baptisms in these waterways. Today, we see bayous that are heavily affected by agricultural runoff causing algal overgrowth, bank destabilization which leads to excess suspended sediment causing murkier water, and various forms of pollution and litter. This is a problem that needs to be tackled at the root. Education and awareness surrounding the importance of our waterways is the first step toward that challenge. A community that cares, is a community that works together to protect what we have left. 💚

𝐈𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦! We're hoping to gauge interest in how many people are willing to do boots on the ground volunteer work in a local space. We'll need capable bodies for various tasks. Some may help clean up roadsides near bayous that lead to litter that washes into the bayou, others will be in boots and waders with gloves picking up trash along bayou banks, and some will be in canoes, kayaks, and pirogues to pull random or larger debris out of the water - everyone plays a critical role. 💪 The change starts here, in our home.

📆 Proposed Date: 11/14/2026

08/05/2026

Just a Reminder ♻

Our Residential Recycling Drop-Off Trailer is back open to the public! We appreciate everyone's patience and participation while we played catch up on our recycling storage. We'd like to especially thank the Tribe's Maintenance Department for providing the additional hauling equipment and manpower to package and transport all materials to Opelousas over the course of 2 weeks.

Considerations when recycling:
- Please do not recycle materials that still have food or liquids in them.
-Please review our allowable recyclable materials regularly to reduce waste on our end. No flexible plastics (loose walmart bags or plastic packaging film).
-Please try to crush plastic bottles and aluminum cans when possible to make storage and transportation as efficient as possible.
-Please break down cardboard boxes at all times, keeping them FLAT.
-Please keep loose small plastics and aluminum cans bagged.

As always, THANK YOU FOR RECYCLING! Never hesitate to reach out to our team if you have questions on what can be recycled!✨

08/01/2026

🛶🌿 An unforgettable day of exploration, learning, and adventure! 🎣🐊 July 29th

Our Environmental Program recently hosted a one-day Fishing Camp for our Tribal youth ages 10–14, and what an incredible experience it was!

We were honored to visit Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, where refuge biologists welcomed our group for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at one of Louisiana’s most unique coastal ecosystems.

The day began with an exciting airboat tour through the saltwater marshes, where youth learned how biologists study and navigate these vital habitats. Along the way, they experienced many firsts—including seeing an alligator nest with eggs up close!

From there, we traveled to the Gulf to learn about the importance of coastal restoration projects and how structural improvements help protect Louisiana’s rapidly eroding coastline. Youth also discovered how unmanaged shell hash can impact coastal grasses and had the opportunity to observe incredible coastal wildlife, including bottlenose dolphins swimming nearby.

Throughout the day, staff shared their knowledge about the Gulf’s fisheries, teaching participants about the different species of gulf shrimp, as well as the important ecological and commercial role that menhaden play in our coastal waters.

The adventure continued with a tour of the refuge’s Alligator Research Lab, where youth learned about the refuge’s successful alligator breeding program and even had the opportunity to hold a baby alligator—an experience many will never forget!

To wrap up an already amazing day, staff led the group to an exclusive fishing area where participants practiced their crabbing skills and put their fishing knowledge to use on the water.

Experiences like these help inspire the next generation of environmental stewards by connecting them with the incredible natural resources and wildlife that make our coast so special.

A heartfelt thank you to the amazing staff at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge for sharing your time, knowledge, and passion with our youth. Your hospitality and dedication made this an unforgettable experience, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you did to make this day so special! 💙🦀🎣🐊

08/01/2026

🎣 What an incredible two days on the water! 🌿 -July 27th & 28th!

Our Environmental Program recently hosted a two-day Fishing Camp for Tribal youth ages 6–9, where our young anglers learned the fundamentals of fishing while building a deeper appreciation for our natural resources.

Throughout camp, participants explored fish ecology, practiced knot tying, honed their casting skills, and even created their own fishing lures before putting everything they learned to the test on the water.

We’re proud to share that every camper caught at least one fish! From colorful bream and bass to catfish, our young anglers experienced the excitement of reeling in a variety of species and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this camp such a success. Watching these young anglers gain confidence, learn new skills, and connect with the outdoors was truly rewarding. We can’t wait to see what they’ll catch next! 🎣💙

07/30/2026

If your children really enjoyed our camp these past few days, I truly hope you continue to fuel that passion for the outdoors and consider other groups and programs for kids as well! This seems like a really great opportunity!

07/17/2026

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬!🎣
We will be accepting donations for your used/unwanted soft plastic (only!) lures for our fishing camp! If you've been meaning to clean out that tackle box and get rid of your torn, aged, or semi-melted plastic worms/creature baits/ craws/swim baits, we'll take them off your hands! We'll be accepting donations until July 24th 🪱
If you find yourself on the Reservation, stop by our office down Camp Coushatta Road to drop off your donations. If you have a bulk donation, we do house pick ups! Please reach out to us if you have any questions! You can message us if you have any questions or email me directly at [email protected].

06/08/2026

When you release a balloon, you are littering. Releasing balloons pollutes the environment, causes power outages, and harms animals through entanglement and ingestion.

Starting in August, intentionally releasing 12 or more balloons outdoors in Louisiana will be illegal. Keep Louisiana Beautiful and Billy Nungesser Lt. Governor of Louisiana were proud to support Act 196. We are thankful to John Illg District 78 "Vote For Big", a KLB Foundation Board Member, for his leadership in authoring and advancing the bill through the legislative process.

There are other ways to commemorate an occasion. An environmentally friendly option would be to plant a native tree or garden.

Learn more about this new law: https://bit.ly/4o1HUxn

06/04/2026

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 & 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬!📣

Registration is officially open for our annual summer camp! This year, we will be holding a 2 day fishing camp for ages 6-9 & a single full day fishing trip for ages 10-14! Our 2 day camp for the younger group will teach about fish, aquatic habitats, water quality, how to tie a knot, and most importantly - how to catch fish! Day 2 will be dedicated to putting our skills to the test by fishing in local ponds! Our older campers will experience a private boat tour with Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge staff, visit their impressive research lab, and get the chance to catch crabs and fish all day!

Register now, spots are limited to 10 per age group and fill up fast - 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 13𝐭𝐡! This is a FREE camp for tribal and tribal descendant youth; however, we will require a refundable $20 safety deposit with your application to secure your child's spot. Deposits will be returned after attending both camp days!
To learn more and register your child today for ages 6-9, use this link: https://form.jotform.com/261544409978167
To learn more and register your child today for ages 10-14, use this link: https://form.jotform.com/261544800380149

Coushatta Environmental Division

09/04/2026

08/25/2026

08/25/2026

08/05/2026

08/01/2026

08/01/2026

07/30/2026

07/17/2026

06/08/2026

06/04/2026

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