The CRCLecture Series brings people together to learn, share and discuss ideas about Louisiana’s coast, culture and communities. Each lecture features speakers who dive into topics that may be directly connected to coastal restoration or that shed light on the broader issues shaping our environment and way of life.

Upcoming Lectures

Check back soon for future lecture dates!

Previous Lectures

January 8, 2026
Paul Link | SEED Center | Lake Charles

Paul Link, a research program manager with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, shared what new movement ecology research is revealing about the ducks and geese we see each winter. Link presented updates on projects tracking white-fronted geese, snow geese, blue-winged teal, northern pintails and more. Attendees heard where these birds travel and what habitats and conditions they prefer while they’re in coastal Louisiana.

November 18, 2025
Keagan LeJeune | Central School | Lake Charles

Dr. Keagan LeJeune shared stories rooted in the landscapes of southwestern Louisiana, from the Cajun Prairie to the chenier plain, showing how place names and local legends keep history alive and connect people to the land. His talk reflected on what these names and stories can teach us about resilience, a sense of belonging and the ties we share with the coast. Alongside these reflections, CRCL Communications Manager Morgan Randall spoke about coastal restoration projects that are helping to protect and revive the very places these stories spring from.

October 14, 2025
Charles Allen | SEED Center | Lake Charles

Dr. Charles Allen, a botanist, author and retired professor from University of Louisiana Monroe, led an exploration of how to garden with native plants found in southwest Louisiana’s rare Cajun prairies. Attendees left with inspiration and practical tips to bring a piece of the prairie home, supporting wildlife, the environment and the future of southwest Louisiana’s natural heritage. They also learned about CRCL restoration projects that are supporting the region’s multiple lines of defense, further protecting more inland Cajun prairies for generations to come. CRCL is grateful to the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance for allowing us to host this lecture at the SEED Center.

April 21, 2025
Anna Timmerman | Alex Beard Studio | New Orleans

Anna Timmerman led a discussion on how to successfully grow citrus using sustainable practices, including how to fertilize properly, identify common pest and disease problems, and choosing the right citrus cultivars for Louisiana.

September 5, 2024
Boyce Upholt | The Guru| Baton Rouge

Attendees spent an evening with Boyce Upholt, an acclaimed journalist, essayist and “nature critic” based in New Orleans. Boyce’s work delves into the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world, particularly in the U.S. South. His thought-provoking stories have graced the pages of The Atlantic, National Geographic, Oxford American, and Virginia Quarterly Review. Boyce’s latest book, The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi, offers a compelling exploration of one of America’s most iconic rivers. He is also the founder of Southlands, a newsletter and field guide dedicated to Southern nature.

June 26, 2024
Dr. Ehab Meselhe | Porgy’s Seafood Market| New Orleans

Dr. Ehab Meselhe delved into the analysis of drought events in the Lower Mississippi River, offering insights from historical records and showcasing a newly developed, computationally efficient 3D model. Attendees discovered how this model sheds light on salt-wedge dynamics during droughts and explored the impacts of factors like increased water losses, channel deepening and sea level rise on wedge propagation.

May 18, 2024
Chris Macaluso | Orvis| Baton Rouge

Chris Macaluso, the Center for Marine Fisheries Director for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, delved into the fascinating world of sport fishing, sharing insights and experiences from his extensive background in outdoor communication and conservation advocacy.

November 30, 2023
Ian McNulty | CRCL Office| New Orleans

Ian McNulty discussed New Orleans food and restaurants, including what’s new, what’s enduring and what’s next. Stream the lecture now.

August 23, 2023
Dr. Angela Chalk | Alex Beard Studio| New Orleans

Dr. Angela M Chalk, the executive director of Healthy Community Services, discussed the weather impacts of heat to natural resources, reforestation efforts and public health heat-related concerns. This lecture explored the versatility of using hemp as a sustainable product for coastal restoration efforts, as an insulation product to create healthier homes and business and the conservations efforts of using the crop. Dr. Chalk also provided tips on how to mitigate the effects of heat-related exposure. Stream the lecture now.

April 18, 2023
Mike Tidwell | Waterlife Museum| Houma

Author Mike Tidwell predicted in vivid detail the Katrina hurricane disaster in his award-winning 2003 book Bayou Farewell: The Rich Life and Tragic Death of Louisiana’s Cajun Coast (Pantheon/Vintage). Tidwell considers south Louisiana his second home after “boat hitchhiking” through the bayous, working as a deck hand on shrimp boats and crab boats and falling in love with the wetlands and Cajun culture. Tidwell is the author of five other books, including The Ravaging Tide, In the Mountains of Heaven, and The Ponds of Kalambayi. A former National Endowment for the Arts fellow, Tidwell has published his work in Audubon, National Geographic Traveler, Reader’s Digest, Washingtonian, and many other publications. His frequent articles for The Washington Post have earned him four Lowell Thomas Awards, the highest prize in American travel journalism. A passionate conservationist, he is founder and director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

December 13, 2022
LSU Center for River Studies| Baton Rouge

Attendees visited the LSU Center for River Studies, which conducts research on the Mississippi River. The center is also home to one of the world’s largest movable bed physical models, the Lower Mississippi River Physical Model.

October 21, 2022
David Muth | The Helis Foundation John Scott Center| New Orleans

David Muth discussed how living in a delta means living with water, but we are still trying to patch together a system designed when the intention was to drain, fill and develop for agriculture and industry.