COASTAL MANAGEMENT DIVISION'S

GULF ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT SITE

ATCHAFALAYA DELTA & SWAMP BASIN

Sound Enhanced Site

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Name:
Gregory J. DuCote

Address:
La. Dept. of Natural Resources/Coastal Management Division
P. O. Box 44487
Baton Rouge, LA  70804-4487

Phone #:
225.342.5052
1-800-267-4019

E-mail:
gregdu@dnr.state.la.us

Facsimile:
225.342.9439


GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:

Location:
Atchafalaya Delta & Swamp Basin

County:
Parishes of Avoyelles, St. Landry, Pointe Coupee, Iberville, St. Martin, Iberia & St. Mary
parishes 

Lat/Long:
?
(latitude-longitude at approximate center of site)

Boundary:

North - Red River in Avoyelles Parish
South - Gulf of Mexico
East - Mississippi River
West - Bayou de Glaises


Relative Size:
1.2 million acres

Date Submitted:
?

ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
?
(please list and describe any of the following attributes that distinguish the site)

ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION:

Natural alluvial floodplain
Largest distributary of the Mississippi River
Freshwater aquifer


GEOMORPHIC FEATURES:

4 geomorphic units in the basin:  riverine (flatlands & basins), natural levees, coastal
flatlands
and basins (marsh areas), and point bars (ridges & swales)


UNIQUENESS OF NATURAL COMMUNITY:

Fairly pristine Cypress-tupelo gum swamps, bottomland hardwoods & coastal marshes.
Only area in La. where land is being accreted.
Cypress-tupelo gum habitat species:  bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), tupelogum
(Nyssa
aquatica), blackgum (nyssa sylvatica), swamp red maple (Acer rubrum), black willow
(Salix
nigra)


RARE OR ENDANGERED SPECIES:

American alligator
Bald eagle 
Hear them now!
Peregrine falcon>
Hear them now!


BREEDING OR NURSERY AREA:

Breeding area for wading & shore birds, alligators, furbearers
Nursery area for finfish & shellfish
Wintering area for migratory waterfowl
MIGRATORY SPECIES:

Ducks & geese
Songbirds
Passerines


INTERPRETIVE AND ECONOMIC VALUE:

INTERPRETIVE USE:

Bird Sanctuary - accessible only by boat


RECREATIONAL USE:

Fishing (saltwater & fresh)
Hunting (waterfowl, deer, rabbits, squirrels, woodcock)
Shrimping & crabbing & crayfishing


COMMERCIAL USE:

Commercial alligator season
Crawfishing
Siliviculture
Farming


ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES:

An archaeological inventory was done in the early 1970's by Louisiana State University. 
A second review of the basin was done by the University of Southwestern Louisiana in the
late 1970's.                            


MANAGEMENT STATUS:

LAND OWNERSHIP:

State/federal/private                                       


EXISTING DESIGNATIONS:
?
(designations of site for federal, state, local, or private ecological management
activities)


MANAGEMENT STATUS:

Natural State, relatively unaltered


SITE VIABILITY

ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY:

Fairly pristine bottomland hardwood areas, cypress-tupelo swamps, and fresh,
intermediate and
brackish marshes.


MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL:

Bird sanctuary
Wildlife management area
Federal refuge 


OTHER:
?
(please provide additional information regarding any significant aspects not covered)