NEWS

Bayou Teche added to National Water Trails System

William Johnson
Louisiana

The Bayou Teche, which begins in Port Barre and continues south for 135 miles until it joins the Atchafalaya River near Berwick, has been added to the National Water Trails System, a first for Louisiana.

“We just found out that it has been accepted. We are so excited,” said Conni Castille, executive director of the TECHE Project, which has been working for years to restore the bayou to its former glory.

“Designation as a national water trail places the Teche in an elite group of rivers across the nation and will increase recreational tourism for the visitors to the 15 communities and four parishes the river runs through,” Castille said.

The National Water Trails System, part of the U.S. Department of Interior’s National Parks Service program, is a network of “exemplary water trails that are cooperatively supported and sustained.”

She said the system was established to protect and restore rivers, shorelines and waterways and increase access to outdoor recreation.

“Bayou Teche has a total of 13 established access points for paddle trips as short as seven miles and as long as 135 and is part of the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area,” Castille said.

More access points are being added on a regular basis, including a planned trailhead with a floating dock, restrooms, lockers and picnic areas in Arnaudville.

“We worked with community leaders to submit the bayou for this recognition because it is a great economic driver for tourism, it’s another way to celebrate the culture and the nature of South Louisiana,” said Kristen Kordecki, TECHE project manager.

“The TECHE Project will also be the managers of the trail working with local communities, municipalities, parishes and state governments,” Kordecki said.

In addition to helping to remove tons of trash from the bayou, the TECHE Project hosts the annual Tour du Teche, a three-day series of paddle races along the bayou’s entire length each October.

“The Teche has historic and cultural value to us, and we are happy to share it with the nation,” Castille said. “The trail exemplifies the natural beauty of South Louisiana bayous and its people.”

The Teche’s paddle trail and the Huron River Water Trail are the 17th and 18th trails of the National Water Trails System, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced Wednesday.

“First we got the National Paddle Trail designation and now we’ve got the National Water Trail, which is even a higher accolade in that this comes from the Department of Interior,” said Patti Holland, TECHE Project councilperson. “There’s only 18 in the nation now, so it really stands out. Bayou Teche is such a significant waterway.”

Holland is also the coordinator of Shake Your Trail Feather, a mini-festival/fundraiser for the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail in Breaux Bridge. She said the acknowledgement presents opportunities for the Teche Project.

Funds raised at events such as Shake Your Trail Feather, held in October, go to create projects and maintain facilities along the National Park Service recognized trail.

The National Water Trail System is a network of national exemplary water trails that can be sustained by an ever-growing water trail community. Water trails are catalysts for protecting and restoring the health of local waterways and surrounding lands. They also provide a connection for current and future generations to the nature, history and adventure that can be found on the water.

“The National Park Service collaborates closely with partners to develop these water trails, which provide health, social, and economic benefits to their local communities,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvi. “These joint efforts help us reach new communities and educate them about the importance of preserving the natural and cultural heritage that can be found in their own backyards.”

To learn more about the National Water Trail System, visit nps.gov/watertrails. To learn more about the TECHE Project, visit techeproject.org or calling 337-277-5292.

Reporter Dominick Cross contributed to this report