Featured Native Plant Advocates - Abbie Judice and Mark Hernandez

Abbie and Mark are advocates for native plants at Moncus Park, a 100-acre nonprofit park conservancy in midtown Lafayette.  

Abbie, who is the Environmental Coordinator and Arborist for the park, strives to make the park an ecological and community gem for the region. She works with the grounds team at Moncus Park to maintain the numerous native plants and trees on site and organizes public programming and volunteerism throughout the year to educate the public about the ecological benefits of native species.  

Mark Hernandez, who is the Grounds Supervisor at Moncus Park, manages the site to promote its rich cultural heritage. He was the champion for establishing a 2-acre Cajun prairie within the park and dutifully cares for the Louisiana Iris collection donated to the park. Mark is a major influence on the continued promotion of natives within the park landscape.  

Mark and Abbie are excited about the future of the park – creating a community space that celebrates its native landscape and environmental assets. They strive to continue the maintenance of a beautiful park with a diverse landscape for many generations to enjoy. Their goals for the park include continued care for the park’s Heritage Live Oak trees, expansion of the native prairie into the back passive areas of the park, enhanced trail maintenance, and more. Come check them out!