On July 2, 2015, The Nature Conservancy announced the addition of 5,359 acres in the Atchafalaya River Basin to their preserve system! The acquisition in the Bayou Sorrel region “marks the first step in a long-term vision to conserve and restore America’s great swamp forest.” according to the press release.

The newly-acquired land, along with adjacent State Land parcels in the Pigeon Bay and Flat Lake [aka East Grand Lake] Water Management Units, as defined by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), will enable easier implementation of features included in the Atchafalaya Basin Program East Grand Lake Project, which was approved in the FY2012 Annual Plan of the Basin Program.

The land is also part of a large area in the lower Floodway which has not been protected by easements being acquired by the USACE.

The Friends of the Atchafalaya support this effort and will continue to work with The Nature Conservancy to protect, conserve and restore the Atchafalaya Basin ecosystem.

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