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

Viewing

Overview

Description

It’s the stuff of movie sets and romance novels—old-growth live oaks, cypress and tupelo trees covered in Spanish moss and surrounded by slow moving, swampy waters. This is what sets the mood at The Nature Conservancy’s Cypress Island Preserve, located in the heart of Acadiana and included in the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.

TNC established the preserve after two large land donations occurring in 1994 and 2001 to protect approximately 9,500 acres of the largest remnant of bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the Teche-Vermillion watershed. In 2009, TNC built a Visitor Center at the Preserve, which supports efforts to educate and inspire the public about our mission and work in this fragile natural area. 

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

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

Stepping Up The Pace

TNC has made great progress in conserving and restoring key bottomland hardwood forest since creating the preserve in the 1990’s. However, this landscape remains vulnerable to flooding and urban sprawl. In addition to educating and inspiring visitors to support conservation here, we are pursuing a goal of restoring 20,000-acres of natural cypress-tupelo swamp and bottomland hardwood forest to support a diverse array of native plant and animal species that represent this part of Louisiana.

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.

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 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. 

Birds of Cypress Island

Two pink birds with wide flat bills rest on a branch.
Roseate Spoonbill Roseate spoonbills in their nest. © Patti Ardoin
A white bird displays showy feathers.
Great Egret Great Egret displaying © Charlie Bush
Two big white birds stand on a branch and connect via long beaks.
Two Ibis Ibis at Cypress Island © Charlie Bush
A black bird with blue eyes rests in a nest made of small branches.
Anhinga An anhinga in its nest. © Patti Ardoin
Two white birds show off beige chests and mohawk crowns.
Cattle Egrets Cattle egrets displaying © Charlie Bush
A bird with a black-and-white head holds an crawfish in his mouth.
Yellow crowned night heron A yellow-crowned night heron with a crawfish © Wes Ardoin
A fluffy brown-and-white bird rests on a branch.
Black-crowned night heron Immature Black-crowned night heron © Matt Pardue
× Two pink birds with wide flat bills rest on a branch.
× A white bird displays showy feathers.
× Two big white birds stand on a branch and connect via long beaks.
× A black bird with blue eyes rests in a nest made of small branches.
× Two white birds show off beige chests and mohawk crowns.
× A bird with a black-and-white head holds an crawfish in his mouth.
× A fluffy brown-and-white bird rests on a branch.

Stand Up For Nature

Support our efforts to protect nature at Cypress Island.

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