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.