On July 27-31, 2009, four St. Helena 4-H’ers attended 4-H Marsh Maneuvers Camp. Participating this year were Andrew Cernich Jr., Darrell Griffin, Dasmine McClendon and LeFrance McClendon.
The camp is run by Mark Shirley, an LSU AgCenter fisheries agent. Other staff for the week included America’s WETLAND Conservation Corps members Ashlee Marceaux (Vermilion Parish) and Jessica Ledet (St. Helena Parish), 4-H agent Silas Cecil (Jeff Davis Parish) and adult leader Joyce Stelly (St. Landry Parish).
While at Marsh Maneuvers, the 4-H’ers learned about Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, bacteria naturally living in Louisiana’s marsh waters which can enter the human body through the pinch of a crab or a break in the skin.
4-H’ers learned the shape and size of the ear bones of a fish -- known as otoliths -- and that those bones can be used to characterize a fish and determine its age.
They had plenty of fun on their night hikes, and, during the day, had a blast crawling in the marsh mud to plant Spartina alteraflora (a marsh grass). They took air boat rides, toured the McIlhenny Tabasco processing plant and caught crabs (and sometimes alligators) with chicken wings on a string.
The camp, which is held each year during the month of July, is sponsored by the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Sea Grant, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. The McIlhenny Company also allowed us to plant in the marsh near Avery Island.
[Image: Darrell on airboat]
[Image: Darrell catching crab]
[Image: Gathering Spartina]
| [Image: St_Helena_group_at_MM]
[Image: Looking for otoliths]
[Image: Opening a crab]
[Image: Group shot at Tabasco Co]
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