‘Cajuns for Bayou Teche’ to Remove Hyacinth from Local Waterways

The Cajuns for Bayou Teche are hosting a hyacinth removal event this Saturday, June 30 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Bayou Teche Public Launch in preparation for their annual Tour du Teche paddlecraft race. To support their cleanup efforts, the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District's Bayou Operations team will provide equipment and strategies used in their own invasive species removal projects.

Blake Couvillion, founder of Cajuns for Bayou Teche, noted "We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Bayou Vermilion District to expand the Teche Project's operations into St. Mary Parish, and to improve navigability in our waterways. We'll be able to cinch up water hyacinth using the booms lent to us by BVD, effectively removing the invasive aquatic weeds without the use of herbicides."

Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District's Bayou Operations team maintains several floating boom catchments in their watershed, to collect floating litter before it can enter the main channel of the Vermilion. After months of holding back tons of debris against flow current the booms become weakened and must be replaced, but they can still be used for lighter duty. "It's a great opportunity to support their efforts and our watershed as a whole, while reusing resources that aid in water quality improvement," says BVD's Bayou Operations Coordinator, Paul LaHaye.

Those interested in participating in the hyacinth removal event on June 30 can contact Blake Couvillion at (337) 230-8596 or blake_couvillion@yahoo.com. You can also contact Margot Addison at the Bayou Vermilion District for information on upcoming Bayou Vermilion volunteer opportunities by calling (337) 233-4077 or emailing margot@bayouvermilion.org.

(from Press Release)