Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
The Frenchtown Conservation Area Nature Center
A project fifteen years in the making, Central’s Frenchtown Road Conservation Area Nature Station, nestled between the Comite and Amite Rivers, will officially open to the public in April.
Known as “The Land Between The Rivers,” the site is the largest conservation area operated by the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC), with 495 acres of bottomland hardwood forest, diverse flora and fauna, and over three miles of trails. Now with a new state-of-the-art nature station built to withstand flooding and provide informational and educational opportunities, the location will serve as a premiere destination for outdoor adventurers and researchers alike.
“The new center will serve as a hub for environmental education, research, and outdoor experiences,” said Superintendent Corey Wilson. “It aligns with our vision of expanding public access to nature while also protecting sensitive habitats.”
Although the site has been formally open since 2013, the catastrophic flooding of 2016 prompted officials to abandon the waterlogged facility that had previously served as a small nature station for conservation education and camps in the Frenchtown area. Instead, BREC began efforts to build a new and improved nature center, but progress was stunted due to the challenges of the pandemic years.
“Investing in nature-based facilities like Frenchtown enhances the community’s wellbeing, promotes ecotourism, and strengthens environmental stewardship. This project reflects our dedication to creating innovative spaces that inspire appreciation for Louisiana’s natural beauty.” —Superintendent Corey Wilson
Now, the wait is over. The 4,200 square foot facility, built at a cost of approximately $2 million, contains large educational classrooms, two conference rooms, and multiple overlooks to the forested area surrounding the center. A room set aside for an ongoing exhibit displayed snake skins, tortoise shells, an insect table, breakdowns of native fungi and trees, a whiteboard displaying the varieties of wildlife spotted in the area and, at the time of a recent visit, even an employee holding a live (if somewhat tiny) snake greeting guests. Despite the mist on a recent cold, rainy morning, the station offered far-reaching views of trees and brush just beginning to show signs of early spring.
“It is a remote location, and it’s a wonderful natural landscape,” said Reed Richard, Assistant Superintendent of Planning & Construction, who pointed out that the area has long attracted hikers and birders, even before the facility was completed. “What makes this conservation area so special is it is mostly bottomland hardwood forests that contain habitats and species that are rare, and in some cases imperiled. There’s a diversity of flora and fauna, and countless species.”
Officials emphasized that the site allows locals to connect with nature, attend summer camps, and escape the heat that can make outdoor activities so arduous and even dangerous during the summer and early fall months in Louisiana.
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The conservation area mirrors that of BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, though officials noted that site is more “manicured” compared with the “wild” Frenchtown Road location.
“Investing in nature-based facilities like Frenchtown enhances the community’s wellbeing, promotes ecotourism, and strengthens environmental stewardship. This project reflects our dedication to creating innovative spaces that inspire appreciation for Louisiana’s natural beauty,” Wilson said. “You know, our vision is to have a park system that not only provides for today, but also protects and enhances the natural world around us. The new Nature Center is a key step in realizing this vision.”
The Nature Station’s “official” grand opening is April 25–27. The weekend also kicks off the City Nature Challenge, in which 800+ cities across the globe compete to see which municipality can show the most wildlife in the area; BREC leaders encourage locals to use the opening weekend as an opportunity to explore the conservation area’s wildlife.
