Bonnet Carre Spillway Recreation Area
See irises in Located just ten miles west of New Big Branch Marsh National Orleans, the St. Charles Parish-maintained recreational the swamp! area near the west side boat launch offers a raised Wildlife Refuge boardwalk through a cypress/tupelo gum forest. The Part of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 18,000- The places setting is the home of the tall blue /. giganticaerulea. acre Big Branch Refuge is located a few miles east of to see wild Mandeville and fifty miles north of New Orleans. Louisiana irises There are scattered blooming are Joyce Wildlife /. giganticaeruleas the swamps growing in areas where and wetlands Management Area fresh water mixes with where they live. the brackish water The locations of the refuge's Lake featured here Pontchartrain shoreline marshes. The long, offer adults and children places to safely enjoy raised boardwalk offers the beauty of the irises and their unique habitat sweeping views of the from boardwalks above the swamp. marsh.
www.fws.gov/refuge/big_branch_ marsh/
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries manages the Joyce Wildlife Management Area, which is located south of Ponchatoula and 50 miles north of New Orleans. In 2018, volunteers reintroduced /. giganticaerulea into the swamp, years after they were killed by hurricane salt water. The raised 'FISH & WILDLIFE1 boardwalk has a viewing platform at its end that overlooks SERVICE This brochure was made miles of open marsh. possible by the generous This brochure was written and produced by GNOIS support of the Baton Greater New Orleans Iris Society Rouge Fish and Wildlife A group of everyday gardeners interested in learning Conservation Office more about Louisiana irises and preserving the five of the U. S. Fish and species of this native plant. In Fjnd us on Wildlife Service. www.louisianairisgnois.com I FaCSbOOk www.fws.gov/BatonRouge Six Locations to see Bayou Sauvage Wildlife Louisiana irises blooming Refuge in their native habitat
Northlake Nature Center
The Bayou Sauvage Wildlife Refuge, part of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is within Jean Lafitte Historical the city limits of New Orleans. In 2018, volunteers planted Louisiana irises in the refuge to reestablish the Park and Preserve /. hexagona I. fulva I. brevicaulis species Iris giganticaerulea after they were destroyed Located 45 by Hurricane Katrina flood miles north of waters. New Orleans, Mandeville's Northlake Nature Center I. giganticaerulea I. nelsonii is the home to all five Louisiana iris species, which can be found in the beaver pond cypress swamp. The kiosks along the raised boardwalk hold display boards with detailed information on the irises. Only 20 miles south of The extensive raised boardwalk allows visitors to New Orleans, the pre walk safely above the fresh water marsh. serve is a prime locale to see irises in the wild. The Louisiana iris species /. giganticaerulea and /. fulva inhabit the plentiful swamps and wetlands. There are extensive boardwalks and trails from which to view the native plants and wildlife. It is a Treserving Louisiana Irises tradition for New The Society for Louisiana Irises Orleanians has partnered with the Greater New to make Orleans Iris Society to an annual create the Louisiana Iris trek to the Species Preservation preserve Project. Over one SOCIETY FOR hundred rare or unusual to see the LOUISIANA forms of Louisiana irises http://www. fws.gov/refuge/ irises in IRISES Bayou_Sauvage/ bloom. that have been collected from the wild are being propagated to preserve the diversity of the species