Discover Nature Programs
Through a partnership with the Louisiana Master Naturalist of Greater Baton Rouge (LMNGBR) we are proud to offer exciting new Discover Nature programs featuring local and national experts who are in touch with nature and are eager to share their experiences. All programs will be held in the Imo Brown Complex in the Beverly Brown Coates Auditorium at Hilltop Arboretum. Discover Nature programs are free for Members Magnolia Level ($250) and above. Advance registration is encouraged.
Louisiana Healing Garden: Medicinal Plants for a Sustainable Future
Featuring Herbalist Corinne Martin
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Hilltop welcomes herbalist, educator, and author Corinne Martin for a presentation
on her newest book, Louisiana Healing Garden: Medicinal Plants for a Sustainable Future.
In this follow-up to her acclaimed Louisiana Herb Journal, Martin continues her exploration of Louisiana’s plants and their remarkable capacity to provide healing in a time of unprecedented environmental and social change. Part herb book, part garden guide, and part celebration of Louisiana’s rich ecological communities, Louisiana Healing Garden introduces readers to fifty medicinal plants and their roles in supporting both personal wellness and environmental stewardship.
Drawing on more than four decades of experience working with medicinal plants, Martin highlights the healing properties of familiar species such as crape myrtle, gardenia, and sweet olive while encouraging readers to cultivate a deeper relationship with the landscapes they call home. The book explores how thoughtful use and cultivation of medicinal plants can support biodiversity, reduce reliance on chemical controls, and contribute to healthier communities and ecosystems.
As Louisiana faces increasing environmental challenges, Martin offers a hopeful perspective rooted in observation, stewardship, and connection to place. Through personal stories and practical guidance, she invites readers to discover how medicinal plants can support both personal wellness and healthier landscapes.
About the Speaker
Corinne Martin is a certified clinical herbalist, amateur naturalist, and author of four books. For more than four decades, she has studied and worked with medicinal plants, sharing her knowledge through writing, teaching, and community education. She is retired from teaching Holistic and Integrative Health in the nursing program at the University of Southern Maine. Martin's work is rooted in a deep love for nature and a commitment to the health of Louisiana's unique and vulnerable landscapes.
For more information about this event, please contact us at LSU Hilltop Arboretum at 225-767-6916, visit www.lsu.edu/hilltop, or email info@friendsofhilltop.org.
Protecting the Atchafalaya Basin: Flood Risk, Sedimentation, and the Future of Louisiana's
Great River Swamp
Featuring Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Executive Director Dean Wilson
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Hilltop welcomes Dean Wilson, Executive Director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, for a presentation exploring the challenges facing the Atchafalaya Basin and why
its future matters to all of South Louisiana.
For more than twenty years, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper has worked to protect the nation's largest river swamp through advocacy, education, and scientific research. During this program, Wilson will discuss how sedimentation and current management practices are affecting the Basin's ability to function as a floodway and the potential implications for communities throughout Southcentral Louisiana.
Participants will learn about proposed management solutions designed to maintain the Basin's flood capacity, deliver valuable sediment to Louisiana's eroding coast, and reduce flood risk for future generations. The presentation will also examine the broader role of the Atchafalaya Basin in supporting wildlife habitat, water quality, and the cultural and economic vitality of the region.
About the Speaker
Captain Dean A. Wilson is the Executive Director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper. American born, Dean grew up in Spain but came to Louisiana in 1984 en route to the Amazon. After living in the Basin’s deep swamps for 4 months with only a spear, a few hooks, a bow and arrows, Dean fell in love with the swamps, lakes, bayous and rivers of the Atchafalaya Basin. Dean chose to stay in the Basin, working as a commercial fisherman before forming Basinkeeper in 2004, a proud member of the Waterkeeper Alliance. Dean's passion for the Basin is evident to all who know him. When he is not out patrolling or educating communities about the Basin and its many threats and treasures, he works with his family-owned and operated swamp tour business, Last Wilderness Swamp Tours.
Program Details
Louisiana Healing Garden: Medicinal Plants for a Sustainable Future
July 28, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Healing Garden REGISTRATION
Protecting the Atchafalaya Basin: Flood Risk, Sedimentation, and the Future of Louisiana's
Great River Swamp
August 25, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Atchafalaya Basin REGISTRATION
Questions? Contact Hilltop by email info@friendsofhilltop.org or call 225-767-6916.