History of the BVPA

Origin Story

In May 2013, the National Garden Club Association recognized the Lafayette Garden Club for its project to “Protect the Aquatic Ecosystem”. That project brought together a core group of individuals that would become the base of the Bayou Vermilion Preservation Association (BVPA). Later that year the BVPA would become a non-profit corporation with an active board of volunteers, including founding members Jan and Charlie Wyatt, with Charlie serving as Board President.

In 2014 BVPA began several ongoing education and outreach programming that are still occurring today. This includes:

  • The annual all-day River Symposium, often including extra hands-on activities/events for both adults and children. Once housed at the Bayou Vermilion District, the event outgrew that venue and currently utilizes the UL Lafayette LITE Center.

  • The quarterly Vermilion River Alliance (VRA) meetings with officials and Soil and Water Conservation Districts from the parishes of St. Landry, St Martin, Lafayette, and Vermilion. This meeting rotates and different venues in each parish throughout the year and usually includes tours and presentations of applicable topics from each Parish.   

  • The creation and implementation the digital Paddle Trail map of the Vermilion by a joint effort of BVPA, Bayou Vermilion District and CGI. This was first steps in encouraging recreation on the river by educating paddlers on boat ramps and other amenities.

  • Working to help auction rain barrels painted by local school students to help raise awareness of water conservation and give some funding back to the participating schools to be used for environmental programs.

  • Facilitated the partnership for an extensive water quality testing program that is one of the most extensive sampling programs along the gulf coast.

  • In 2014, BVPA was awarded Conservation Organization of the year by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation(LWF) and the National Wildlife Federation and we continue to serve as the LWF Affiliate in Louisiana’s District 3 today.

  • In 2015, in honor of Mayor President Joey Durel’s mother’s, who had been in the Garden Club, the BVPA organized sales of native iris rhizomes and workshops to demonstrate to residents how to plant irises along channels. We host plantings and clean ups at our adopted park, Beaver Park, both on the banks of the Vermilion River and the pond. BVPA continues to help maintain Beaver Park through Embrace this Space.

Past Decade

Today

A decade later, the BVPA continues the groundwork that was established in 2014. Our biggest events that we take pride in organizing every year are the various Eco Art Events, River Symposium, the State of the River, and the Vermilion River Alliance (VRA) meetings. We enjoy partnering with various other local organizations and non-profits throughout the year to protect and recreate on our beautiful Bayou Vermilion!