Saving Maurepas Swamp, a crucial wetland area located 25 miles west of New Orleans, has been a priority for the Fund since 2000. We’re also working to restore connectivity between this and other coastal wetland areas.
 

Our Role

To save this special place, we’ve worked with the state of Louisiana and a variety of funders and partners to establish and expand the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on the shores of Lake Maurepas. In 2001, we helped the state secure a grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, which donated 61,633 acres of wetlands and forests to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Since then, we have helped the state expand the Maurepas Swamp WMA by more than 104,000 acres Our partners in these efforts include the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and the Entergy Charitable Foundation. A grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation helped us acquire nearly 400 additional acres at Maurepas Swamp in 2012, which we donated to the state.

Why This Project Matters

Maurepas is a critical stopping point for millions of migratory birds on the Mississippi Flyway, linking North American nesting grounds and wintering areas in Latin America. In 2011, we partnered with the Land Trust for Louisiana and the National Audubon Society to permanently protect 675 acres of critical migratory bird habitat near the town of Maurepas.

Most recently, we helped the state of Louisiana stitch together a connected landscape at Maurepas Swamp, transferring nearly 30,000 acres to the state to link the eastern and western sections of the WMA and preserving the largest contiguous tract of wetland forest remaining in the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley. This haven for wildlife and recreation will remain undeveloped, providing continued protection to adjacent communities during coastal storms.

“Our ultimate goal is to protect and enhance the connectivity of this quintessential South Louisiana coastal wetland environment across a large landscape.”

— Ray Herndon, Director, Lower Mississippi Region, The Conservation Fund