Louisiana Grass Roots Film Screens in Lake Charles

A documentary on southwestern Louisiana's vanishing prairies was shown at Central School Arts & Humanities Center, followed by a panel discussion.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Landscaping

Louisiana Grass Roots Film Screens in Lake Charles

Live Poll

Would you plant native prairie plants on your own property?

Lake Charles hosted a screening of the documentary "Louisiana Grass Roots" on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at the Central School Arts & Humanities Center. The event was sponsored by Woodside Energy in partnership with McNeese State University and included a panel discussion and native seed offerings.

Why it matters

The film highlights how settlement and agriculture have removed most of the region's prairie landscape. Its focus on local food, music and dance connects the ecosystem to the area's cultural history.

Prairies once covered about 2.5 million acres across southwestern Louisiana, according to the film's presentation. Less than 1% of the region's prairie remains today, and the amount restored through the Woodside and McNeese partnership has not been reported.

The players

Woodside Energy

Woodside Energy is an energy company that sponsored the screening and partnered with McNeese to expand campus prairie habitat.

McNeese State University

McNeese State University is a public university in Lake Charles, Louisiana, that is expanding prairie habitat on its campus.

The details

The screening was followed by a panel discussion, and native seeds, including varieties of coneflower, were offered to attendees. Residents can add native plants to their own property, including in small gardens known as pocket prairies.

Earlier this year (2026): Woodside Energy partnered with McNeese State University to help expand the prairie on campus.
Sunday, November 8, 2026: The documentary screening was held in Lake Charles.

Seasonal Patterns

The screening and campus restoration respond to a loss of southwestern Louisiana prairie that has left less than 1% of the original 2.5 million acres intact. Efforts like the Woodside and McNeese partnership add small, localized prairie plantings to a region where the landscape has been largely converted to other uses.

Homeowners can add native plants to their yards, including small pocket prairies, to support local habitat. The film's message points to practical garden choices that bring a piece of the region's historic landscape onto everyday property.

The takeaway

Small native plantings, from campus projects to backyard pocket prairies, can help recover habitat that has largely disappeared from southwestern Louisiana. Attending local screenings and panels is one way residents can learn how the region's landscape shaped its food and culture.