Jacelynn Lafleur - Bronze Level Louisiana Certified Habitat - Lafayette

ANPP congratulates Jacelynn Lafleur for her bronze certified habitat on the South

side of Lafayette. She is in a traditional subdivision with a direct connection to the

natural world — her backyard borders a drainage ditch that creates a genuine

wetland edge, complete with established trees that provide canopy, shelter, and

year-round wildlife value.

Over the past few years, Jacelynn has been intentionally working to transform this

space into a functioning habitat. Motivated by a deep passion for plants and

wildlife, she wanted her yard to be more than landscaping — she wanted it to be

a refuge. She began by introducing native plants chosen to support pollinators,

and added bird feeders and birdhouses. The adjacent wetland quickly revealed

itself as an asset: frogs have made themselves at home, butterflies move through

regularly, and the yard hums with insect activity in a way a conventional lawn

simply does not.

What has kept her going is the observation itself. Watching species return,

noticing which plants draw the most activity, and seeing the yard function as a

small but real piece of the broader ecosystem has been deeply rewarding for her.

The drainage ditch, often viewed as a nuisance in suburban settings, here serves

as a wildlife corridor — and she has tried to honor that by keeping the habitat

edge as natural and welcoming as possible.

Jacelynn originally planted plants she got at stores and plant swaps. She noticed

that only the natives she planted made it, so turned her attention to adding more

natives from plant swaps, The Urban Naturalist and Acadiana Native Plant

Project. She urges other native plant lovers to share their natives and knowledge

at some of these local plant swaps. There are many budding and curious

gardeners out there.