NORCO — The Wetland Watchers will be out in force today, with approximately 800 fourth graders visiting interactive stations throughout Wetland Watchers Park in Norco as part of the group’s annual celebration.

Begun nearly 20 years ago, the school-based service-learning project empowers students to plan and participate in activities such as water quality monitoring, macro-invertebrate collection and identification, litter clean-ups, soil and plant identification and tree planting, centralizing their efforts in their adopted Bonnet Carre Spillway.

Created and championed by Harry Hurst Middle School teacher Barry Guillot, today’s effort honors a link to the beginning.

“We have also created an award to honor Mr. Milton Cambre, named the Milton L. Cambre Spirit of the Wetlands Award honoring people who have dedicated service to Louisiana wetlands,” Guillot said. “We will award that one at 12:30 p.m.”

When Guillot moved to St. Charles Parish more than 20 years ago, he could not believe how many of his students had never visited local wetland areas.

“Some had grown up hunting and fishing, but many of them knew very little about all of the fun wetlands had to offer and how important they are to us,” Guillot said. “On a service-learning trip with University of New Orleans, I saw the potential to meet so many of the required academic standards and benchmarks through hands-on activities out near the lakefront in the LaBranche Wetlands. I met local environmentalist Mr. Milton Cambre on this trip and saw an incredible role model for me and my students.”

Guillot started organizing Harry Hurst Middle School field trips out to what is now Wetland Watchers Park in Norco.

“It was a logical idea that the kids would learn so much more being out there learning instead of simply looking at pictures in their textbooks,” he said. “The students wanted to get more involved, so we started doing clean-ups and tree plantings on weekends.”

The efforts turned into an organized school club, which grew into a parishwide academic movement and is now a recognized educational mission that impacts thousands.
Guillot, who worked at the Aquarium of the Americas for three years writing education programs, knows how fast local wetlands are disappearing. He tells students Louisiana wetlands are not just a location but the reason our ancestors were here in the first place.

“When we lose land, it is not just mud washing away, it is a part of our culture. It is a part of who we are,” he said.

Guillot started bringing animals to school and teaching students how to handle them. His students started visiting other elementary schools so they could share the things they were learning with younger students. It blew up from there.

“Wetland Watchers has been so successful over the years because the students invest their time and energy into it to make it great,” he said. “The community has completely supported all that we do, from the St. Charles Parish School System and St. Charles Parish Government. It goes all the way to international corporations that have donated time, funding and resources to make all that we do possible. We even were recognized with a national award that honored us as having the best partnerships.”

Guillot said he believes offering students the opportunity to volunteer provides a service to the community and the environment while giving the younger generation a chance to experience what giving back feels like.

“It is my hope that later in life these experiences will help them make good choices — choices that may not impact the entire world, but choices that can make their personal world a better place,” Guillot said.