Peggy Fontenot- Gold Louisiana Certified Habitat

Peggy's property is a beautiful 3 1/4-acre piece of paradise located in a rural area

outside of Ville Platte. Peggy says that she felt drawn to the place because of her

Choctaw heritage. Her deep connection to this place really came through during

our conversations about this land. Her property varies in elevation from upland

near her home to a low, wet area at one end of the property. Jim Foret has

identified several pimple mounds on the property as well. Peggy’s lot is

surrounded on two sides by mixed pine-hardwood forest.

About 60 trees of various species are currently located on the property. Already

existing on the property before she purchased it were large Swamp Chestnut,

Post, Cherry Bark, White, and Water oaks, Loblolly Pine and an American Beech.

But, the lot was so overgrown with invasive plants such as Chinese Privet and

Chinese Tallow as well as tall brush that Peggy had to remove much of the

overgrowth to discover what was there. She has also spent a lot of time since

purchasing the property removing invasive species. Lately she and her friend,

Austin Crochet, have been adding more native trees, shrubs, and forbs to the

property. Peggy is especially proud of the prairie they added to one of the pimple

mounds. Most of the native plants they added to the property were acquired from

ANPP’s Teche Gardens greenhouse in Arnaudville.