It was ultimately the beautiful Bayou Teche that drove Iowa native David Dahlquist to New Iberia two years ago, and the professional landscaper has been loving it ever since. 

Dahlquist, 69, calls himself an “Iowa product,” born in a rural area of the state and growing up in the southwest portion in a town called Red Oak. He attended Iowa State University, where he graduated in landscape architecture and had held a variety of positions in that profession. 

“I’ve had the opportunity to work essentially in all parts of the country,” Dahlquist said Saturday. “I did landscape work, and that evolved into landscape architecture and parks and recreation, and I developed an expertise in scenic byways.”

Dahlquist first became really acquainted with Louisiana through contractual work he was engaged with the state’s byways program for nearly 12 years. 

“My wife would accompany me on trips here and we both just really started to fall in love with the state,” Dahlquist said. “Our area that we were most fond of was the Bayou Teche corridor.”

On several occasions throughout the past eight years, the couple made serious plans on moving to Louisiana. Attempts were made in New Orelans and Baton Rouge, but the plans never came into fruition and Dahlquist said he had abandoned the idea. 

About two years ago, Dahlquist said he was doing some work on the Bayou Teche byway and was visiting Franklin during some off-time. There was a house for sale that he and his wife spotted, and the two decided to call the realtor. 

Dahlquist said that call sparked a lifelong friendship with Linell Champagne, who began to show them other homes. 

After making their way back to Iowa, Dahlquist looked at a listing for a New Iberia home that Champagne had listed.

“We got home and looked at the listing,” Dahlquist said. “She said ‘I know it’s over your budget but you should look at it’ and we just fell in love with it.”

The Dahlquists’ celebrated two years since that signing on Mardi Gras Day, and Dahlquist said the home has oak trees and the Bayou Teche in the back yard, all classic Louisiana staples. 

While in New Iberia, Dahlquist attended a byways meeting and met Conni Castille, the executive director of TECHE Project, and the two got talking. 

“She did a presentation on the TECHE project. We talked a little bit and one thing led to another,” Dahlquist said. “I was invited to enjoy the council a year ago.”

The TECHE Project is a nonprofit group whose work is specifically geared toward bettering the Bayou Teche. Recently, the group announced a grant that would go toward kayak launches and orientation programs, which Dahlquist is assisting with.

“The council is a pretty interesting group,” Dahlquist said. “It’s all volunteers and everyone’s got their own interest area. I’ve been helping with fundraising and making the membership program more effective.”

Dahlquist said he also tried taking some kayaking lessons, which is another popular facet with the group. With a laugh, he said he was less than successful. 

“I gave it my best shot and took lessons” he said. “I ended up dumping my kayak in Lake Martin and haven’t been in a kayak since.”

As for the Bayou Teche, Dahlquist said he was attracted to it by its unique culture, history and beauty.

“There’s so many dimensions of the story,” he said. “With my background in landscape architecture, for many people it’s really about respecting the environment and so forth. That was one of the interesting things, the teleological story of the bayou, the history of the bayou and the culture that’s part of it right now.

“It’s scenic, there’s so many things about it and it needs stewards. So all of those dimensions, you don’t find that in all of the waterways. There’s only a few waterways that has as much as the Bayou Teche.” 

If you know someone in the Teche Area who would be an interesting weekend profile, please submit the name. Call 321-6766 or send an email to news@daily-iberian.com.