On Saturday June 14th, nine BCOS members and one furry friend braved the humidity to tour Briarwood Nature Preserve in Natchitoches parish. Our tour guide was Curator Bayli Brossette. Briarwood is a 212 acre wooded preserve full of trails, rare species of trees and one of the largest collection of Louisiana native irises. Briarwood is also the birthplace of Caroline C. Dormon, 1888 to 1971. Caroline was a historical conservationist and the first woman hired by the US Forest Service. The tour included an in depth look at Caroline’s Cabin, a log cabin constructed in 1951. The cabin is home to Carrie’s book collection, original artwork and period relics of all descriptions. Also included in the tour is “Grandpappy” a 450-500 yr old original growth Longleaf Pine.
Part of the tour includes Bayli Brossette detailing how Caroline Dormon fought the early Louisiana legislature to create the Kisatchie National Forest. This was a dream of Caroline's and without her perseverance and dedication the Kisatchie may not exist today. The tour lasted about 2 hours and covered about 1-1/2 miles.
After the tour, most of us went to the Munch Box in Saline and feasted on fried catfish with all the trimmings. The lunch, fellowship and air conditioning topped off a day that was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
A big THANK YOU to Steve Birmingham for organizing and leading this trip!
Thanks Steve Birmingham for organizing and leading a fun and educational trip!