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Places We Protect

Cypress Island Preserve

Louisiana

A yellow-crowned night heron displays its breeding plumage at Cypress Island Preserve in Louisiana.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron A yellow-crowned night heron displays its breeding plumage at Cypress Island Preserve. © Matt Pardue/The Nature Conservancy

Our preserve and Visitor Center serve as a centerpiece for viewing unique Louisiana wildlife.

Viewing

Overview

Description

Moody. Timeless. Ethereal. Bald cypress, water tupelo, and two hundred year-old live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and surrounded by slow moving, swampy waters sets the tone at The Nature Conservancy’s Cypress Island Preserve. If you want to see iconic cypress trees, bottomland hardwood forest and alligators only 20 minutes from a destination city, you come here. This place is a microcosm of everything that represents a cypress swamp in Louisiana.

Two generous land donations led to creating the 9,000-acre Cypress Island Preserve. Located in the heart of Louisiana’s Acadian region and included within the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, this remnant of cypress-tupelo swamp and bottomland hardwood forest harbors alligators, water birds and other wildlife.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Parking is available at the Visitor Center.

Size

Approximately 9,500 acres of important cypress-tupelo swamp and bottomland hardwood forest.

Explore our work in Louisiana

A narrow river winds through a green, forested landscape.
Atchafalaya Watershed An aerial photo features a distributary in Louisiana's Atchafalaya River Delta. © Carlton Ward, Jr.

Fixing The Floodplain

While TNC has advanced conservation and restoration at the preserve over several decades, it has proven difficult to keep up with the pace of flooding and sprawl in the region. In response, we are working with partners to protect and restore 20,000-acres of natural cypress-tupelo swamp and bottomland hardwood forest in the Teche-Vermillion and Atchafalaya watersheds by 2030 so that this waterscape can continue to support diverse wildlife, clean water and public recreation.

Situated in the heart of the Atchafalaya River watershed, this preserve plays a critical role in reconnecting and restoring the surrounding floodplain, which is compromised after decades of hydrologic manipulations. In addition to providing critical wildlife habitat, the watershed – when ecologically healthy and connected – filters and slows waters flowing down the river and eventually into the Gulf of Mexico. Delivering clean, fresh water to the coast fuels the creation of unique wetland habitats that oysters and other aquatic species need to thrive.

An alligator rests on a log surrounded by water.
American Alligator An American alligator moves through the water at TNC's Cypress Island Preserve in Louisiana. © The Nature Conservancy/Christine Kessler

All About Alligators

Lake Martin is well known for the number and size of alligators it hosts. Each summer, female alligators build nests along the secluded forested banks of a portion of the reserve that includes Lake Martin. For the safety of people and the alligators, TNC closes the levee trail to visitors during this time. TNC also works with alligator farmers who collect and raise eggs before returning a portion back into the wild.

Along with regulations on hunting, these practices have led to wild alligator populations rebounding from less than 100,000 to more than two million since 1967 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added them to the endangered species list. These actions complement TNC’s efforts to conserve wetland habitats on which alligators depend. 

By The Numbers

  • 239

    bird species have been documented to date (2024) at the preserve.

  • 300+

    Cypress trees that are more than 300 years old.

  • 500+

    rookery nests have been accounted for at the preserve.

  • 3,000+

    visitors spend time at the preserve each year.

Visit Cypress Island

  • The preserve’s unique forested wetlands fosters a spectacular rookery that supports thousands of nesting birds each spring, including White Ibis, Anhinga, Neotropic Cormorants, Cattle Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Little Blue Herons, Green Herons, Great Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons and Yellow-crowned Night Herons. The preserve’s walking levee trail is also an ideal place to observe trans-gulf migratory songbirds. Keep an eye out for a variety of reptiles and amphibians, including the American alligator.

  • We invite visitors to enjoy birdwatching and a 2.5-mile walking levee trail. The trail is suitable for children ages 5 and up but might pose a challenge for strollers due to uneven terrain and muddy conditions after rain. Other ways to enjoy the preserve include hiking, boating and kayaking from a small launch at the northern end of the levee trail

    NOTE: The preserve’s boardwalk is currently in disrepair. TNC is working to replace and improve the .25-mile loop. 

  • Groups can gather at the preserve’s pavilion where there are covered picnic tables and access to restrooms. 

  • The preserve is open during daylight hours.

    Volunteer docents staff the Visitor Center on weekends year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and some weekdays during the busy spring season. We recommend calling to confirm hours before a visit. 

    NOTE: The levee trail and kayak launch are closed during alligator nesting season June through September. Also, the rookery—located at the southern end of Lake Martin—is closed to boat entry during bird breeding and nesting season February through July.

    • Do not stray from marked and established trails.
    • Do not feed alligators and other wildlife.
    • Leashed pets are only allowed on the Levee Trail, and are generally discouraged due to heat, alligators and other pests.
    • Do not collect, remove, injure, damage or destroy any artifact, mineral or animal (living or dead).
    • Hunting, trapping, fishing and discharging firearms is prohibited. (Note: Fishing is allowed in the open water in Lake Martin.)
    • Camping, campfires and smoking are prohibited.
    • Permanent photography blinds are prohibited. Portable blinds are allowed but must be removed upon departure.
    • Do not scatter feed or seed of any kind. Do not use taped calls to attract wildlife.
    • Keep your vehicles and any equipment or valuables secured at all times.
    • Respect the rights of adjacent landowners. Do not trespass, block neighbors’ driveways or use an entrance other than those designed for the preserve.
    • Leave no trace. Do not litter. Take out what you bring in to the preserve.

  • The preserve’s Acadian-style Visitor Center serves as a hub for inspiring the public aboutTNC's  mission and work in this fragile natural area, including an exhibit featuring winners of its annual photography contest.

    The Visitor Center is located at 1264 Prairie Highway, St. Martinville, LA 70582.

    NOTE: Rookery Road is closed starting at John D Hebert Road to Prairie Highway (LA 353) until further notice.

    Contact us at 337-342-2475 to verify hours or to learn more about volunteer opportunities. 

Cypress Island's Hidden Gem (:59) Home to beautiful bald cypress, water tupelo and buttonbush, Coulee Crow Swamp is a peaceful piece of nature nestled within The Nature Conservancy's Cypress Island preserve.

Birds of Cypress Island

Roseate Spoonbill Roseate spoonbills in their nest. © Patti Ardoin
Great Egret Great Egret displaying © Charlie Bush
Two Ibis Ibis at Cypress Island © Charlie Bush
Anhinga An anhinga in its nest. © Patti Ardoin
Cattle Egrets Cattle egrets displaying © Charlie Bush
Yellow crowned night heron A yellow-crowned night heron with a crawfish © Wes Ardoin
Black-crowned night heron Immature Black-crowned night heron © Matt Pardue
× Roseate Spoonbill Roseate spoonbills in their nest. © Patti Ardoin
× Great Egret Great Egret displaying © Charlie Bush
× Two Ibis Ibis at Cypress Island © Charlie Bush
× Anhinga An anhinga in its nest. © Patti Ardoin
× Cattle Egrets Cattle egrets displaying © Charlie Bush
× Yellow crowned night heron A yellow-crowned night heron with a crawfish © Wes Ardoin
× Black-crowned night heron Immature Black-crowned night heron © Matt Pardue

Support This Work

Thanks to your support, our efforts to conserve this cypress-tupelo swamp and bottomland hardwood forest are working. However, we have a long way to go in connecting this unique natural area with the surrounding floodplain to secure clean water, reduce flooding, and welcome wildlife and people.

Donate