BREC Conservation

05/15/2026

Come out to Bluebonnet Swamp's Birthday Bash tomorrow, May 16th from 9am - 4pm!

Our Natural Resource Management team got the party started early with a brand new native plant install!

05/15/2026

BREC's Frenchtown Conservation Area Update 5/15/2026:

The water has receded and we’ve been able to get eyes on trails.

Amite Overlook: Remains closed due to high standing water, please don’t enter that trail.

Hardwood Loop: Trail is clear and passable, but there are areas of that are holding shallow water and and there are areas of slick mud. The bog bridge near the Nature Station cutoff is temporarily back in place, but their is a lip. PLEASE TREAD CAREFULLY!

Forest Edge Trail: The is one log down near the second foot bridge but it can be navigated around. Also walk with caution in areas of slick mud.

Bamboo Loop and Railroad Trail: All clear, but has slick mud.

Be aware of our flood displaced reptiles and bring plenty of bug repellent.

05/13/2026

FRENCHTOWN UPDATE: Access to the Nature Station is clear and open, but all trails are currently closed until flood waters clears and we can assess and repair issues.

05/08/2026

Even though the weather might be gloomy, our conservation sites never fail to amaze us.

05/08/2026

Due to the stormy weather forecast we have decided to cancel our nature night hike at Bayou Manchac tonight. We are sorry for any inconvenience and hope that we will see some of you in august when our programming resumes!

05/05/2026

Without further ado, here are the official totals for 2026 BioBlitz at Blackwater Conservation Area!

550 Different Species

41 Different observers

200 different Identifiers

Thanks again to everyone who came out to help find and id plants, learn from our local community of experts, and meet and connect with the broad range of organizations that study and care all of the wild places in East Baton Rouge and across the state. Please keep exploring your Conservation areas and we look forward to seeing everyone again out on the trails!

04/29/2026

May starts this Friday, which means we have a First Saturday at Frenchtown Hike this weekend. The explosion of spring can really be overwhelming to your senses, so this weekend we will be focused on breaking down the overabundance or sights, sounds, smells, touches, and tastes(?) to make a springtime forest easier to enjoy.

Go to https://tinyurl.com/ympp5fys for more information and to register.

04/25/2026

Our 2026 bioblitz might be over but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end! This weekend we are supporting our local Master Naturalists of Greater Baton Rouge as they take part in the City Nature Challenge!!

The City Nature Challenge is a four-day friendly nature competition that goes on across the globe April 24 to April 27, 2026. Participants try to find and catalogue as many species as possible not just to try and help their city win, but also to help increase conservation efforts and knowledge of the world’s wonderful ecosystems.

Want to join in the fun? Download iNaturalist, Head out to your local BREC park, and have fun finding the flora and fauna that make our parks so amazing! We will have staff at our Frenchtown Conservation station today until 2 pm to help with all your City Nature Challenge needs. Not sure how to use iNaturalist or how to tell exactly what it is you just found? We can help! There will also be an expert on site at 11 am who will be sampling our ponds, pools, and puddles to see what they might find if anyone is interested in tagging along.

See the link below for other events happening today and during the rest of the weekend!

The City Nature Challenge is a four-day friendly nature competition that goes on across the globe April 24 to April 27, 2026.

04/22/2026

🌎Happy Earth Day! It's a great reminder to not take this beautiful bountiful planet we share for granted. We've been reveling in the spring blooms this month -- here's a floral tour of the Howell Community Park bioswale! This plot is doing important work to handle stormwater run-off and support pollinator species🌼

04/21/2026

The birds are moving, so remember to turn those lights out! Many birds migrate at night for protection from predators and for calmer winds to fly through. Light pollution is disorienting and also leads to increased bird collisions. The simplest way to help these birds get to where they are going is to remember to turn off your exterior lights. The birds will thank you!

LIGHTS OUT LOUISIANA - Peak bird migration is underway this week, nearly 200 million birds hitting the skies each night. Turn out your porch lights!