Water You Waiting For? - Louisiana's Wetlands, Sportsman's Paradise & Mardi Gras
- Ren Gudino
- Apr 9
- 5 min read
Deep in the heart of The Pelican State lies an intricate ecosystem of wetlands, abundant wildlife, and a rich history kept alive through vibrant culture. The Louisiana Wetlands are some of the most vital waterways in our country. From the swamps and bayous to the Atchafalaya Basin, these areas filter and store large amounts of water, protecting inland communities from disasters. These areas flourish with abundant wildlife, attracting hunters from across the nation to experience the Sportsman’s Paradise. If you’ve ever been to Louisiana, you know the state is rich in culture, cuisine, and festivals, like New Orleans' famous Mardi Gras. Let’s dive into just a little of what Louisiana has to offer.
Some readers might remember a previous feature we wrote on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, which we won’t get into in this blog, but instead invite you to read more here. Aside from Lake Pontchartrain covering its 630 square miles, Louisiana is full of 3,260 square miles of river surfaces, land-locked bays, inland lakes, and over 4,000 navigable waterways. All of these waterways work together to make up what’s known as the Wetlands of Louisiana. This state is known for its water-saturated coastal and swamp regions, which are called the “Bayou” and stretches from the border of Texas to Mississippi. These areas are pivotal for Louisiana as they are important and once-thriving ecosystems, serve as water sponges and filtration, and are home to abundant wildlife and plant life. These wetlands are broken into two main sections: the eastern and the western sides. The western sides have been struggling and the ecosystem is nearly eliminated. However, the eastern side continues to support much of our rare and usual plant and animal life. Though other states do have their own wetlands, Louisiana comprises 40-45% of the Southern wetlands, serving as the “drainage gateway” for the Gulf of Mexico.
Unique to Louisiana’s Wetlands are the swamps, which have a rare combination of plant and animal life that’s unlike any other. The once endangered alligator now has a thriving population in these swamps, and even the Louisiana black bear. These areas act as a natural barrier for storms and hurricanes, with the dense vegetation and complex water systems slowing down hurricanes and flooding, and providing a shield for more inland communities. Swamps also help purify water and filter waste and chemicals from humans, and anything not absorbed by the plants is deposited slowly into the sediment and sand. While these swamps are impressive on their own, there’s one in particular that has generated its own fame: The Atchafalaya Basin.
The Atchafalaya Basin starts by Simmesport, LA crossing over 140 miles toward the Gulf of Mexico, bound by natural ridges formed by levees along the Mississippi River. This is the nation’s largest swamp and has nearly one million acres of America’s wetland ecosystem, including making up the largest contiguous bottomland hardwood forest in North America and contains a majority of Louisiana’s swamps, bayous, and backwater lakes. These deciduous forested wetlands are made up of trees that survive and thrive in areas that are seasonally or often flooded, serving a critical role in watershed by providing floodwater storage. For this reason and due to its size (being larger than the Florida Everglades), the Atchafayala Basin is five times more productive than any other basin in North America. It is also home to 65 species of reptiles and amphibians and over 250 species of birds have been seen flying over the basin.
With so many animals thriving within the basin and various wetlands, Louisiana has earned its nickname as the “Sportman’s Paradise.” Throughout the year, an estimated 900,000 hunters and recreational anglers take to the wetlands for hunting and fishing, many traveling from across the nation just to hunt. The site for all hunting and fishing info is found here and lists everything from specific licenses, regulations, and season dates. The hunting side bar includes info for a huge range of animals such as deer, doves, turkeys, and even alligator. According to Clay Higgins, a congressman and representative from Louisiana, the sportsman industry contributes $1.67 billion to the local economy, supporting about 24,000 jobs and providing $165 million annually in state and local taxes. However, the basins have been in a decline, with areas being converted to cropland or areas of the coastline being susceptible to erosion.
In an interview from a local who’s fished in the basic for 40 years, even bad day fishing could yield up to 25 fish, who’s physically witnessed the land disappear from the area in smaller basins. He says that the loss of land means less protection against the wind, and that the disappearance of marshlands and small islands means the loss of the wildlife that thrived there as well. Since marshes feed the ecosystem, nutrients in the habitat experienced a decline, creating a decline in the fisheries. There’s been a lot of work done in the last decade to rebuild barrier islands and coastal habitat, and locals claim to see changes immediately once a project has been put in place. Clay Higgins announced a project where U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Gulf Coast Restoration awarded $2,994,006.60 to the Rockefeller Refuge Gulf Shoreline Stabilization project, where, “Calcasieu Parish Police Jury will receive $2,116,894.60 to expand the project westward and install an additional 0.3 miles of rock breakwaters. Cameron Parish will serve as the sub-recipient and will carry out the scope of work for the project. Cameron Parish will also receive $877,112.00 to reduce shoreline erosion along approximately 6,000 linear feet of coastline.”
Speaking of parishes, what are they and why does Louisiana use them? Louisiana was originally Roman Catholic under both France and Spain’s rule, with territories separated according to church parishes in 1807. A parish was technically defined as a small district that had its own church and priest. Though two centuries ago, Louisiana has held onto this system of organizing as a part of its history and culture. Now, Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes (versus counties), with 41 still run by an elected government called a Police Jury—another characteristic dating back to colonial times.
Though parishes and police juries are some of the smaller ways Louisiana has held onto their cultural history, the most famous is the celebration of Mardi Gras. Coinciding with the Roman Catholic rule, they also celebrated a festival called Carnival or Shrovetide. This was the time period leading up to Lent, a religious 40-day fasting season which starts on Ash Wednesday. The day before the start of Lent became known in France as “Mardi Gras” or “Fat Tuesday,” the last day on which people could consume specific luxuries which range from red meat, sugar, dairy, to alcohol, and more. A part of this celebration was initially more practical: Shrovetide was intended for Christians to use up these foods prior to the fasting season. In some traditions, the final three days of Shrovetide became known as Mardi Gras. After the first Mardi Gras parade was recorded in 1833, Mardi Gras continues to draw millions of tourists every year to see the colorful floats, dress in costumes, and take in some of Louisiana’s famous cuisine and culture.
Whether exploring Louisiana’s million-acre wetlands, fishing along the basin, or enjoying New Orleans' king cake during Mardi Gras, remember that Interstate Signways marked the way!
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