L.D.W.F. TRANSPLANTS ENDANGERED PLANT
Release Date: 10/28/2008

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Natural Heritage Program (NHP) headed a project on Oct. 23 aimed at replacing federally endangered quillwort plants moved during bridge improvements from an area along Abita Creek.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC), The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mercer Arboretum and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) partnered with LDWF to transplant over 150 quillworts.

In 2001, LDWF removed 70 quillworts from an Abita Creek bridge in anticipation of Louisiana DOTD bridge projects. LDWF then sent the quillworts to Mercer Arboretum in Houston until the bridge project was finished.

"We moved the quillworts because bridge construction and possible subsequent siltation threatened the plants in the immediate vicinity of the bridge," said Patricia Faulkner, LDWF NHP ecologist. "However, the bridge project was delayed several years and in that time the original 70 plants grew to over 600 individual quillworts."

The quillworts were replanted along the portion of Abita Creek located north of Hwy. 435 on the TNC Abita Creek Preserve and on an adjacent piece of private property registered with the Louisiana Natural Areas Registry Program.

The only other states where quillworts exist include Ala. and Miss., and in La. they are only found in Washington and St. Tammany parishes in the eastern part of the state. They are usually found in wetlands in shaded areas and prefer small blackwater streams on sand, gravel or mud bars and stream banks.

Quillworts are evident from winter through spring and are dormant during dry late summer and fall months, but can remain evident during these months if rainfall continues.

"The department, along with TNC, will monitor the transplants, and if successful, we hope to have another planting with the remaining quillworts," said Faulkner. "We could not have done this without the generous cooperation from all of our partners. We look forward to another successful quillwort transplant in the future as we try to save this native Louisiana plant."