Welcome to the Southeast Louisiana Refuges Complex
© Tom Carlisle
There are eight National Wildlife Refuges in the Southeast Louisiana (SELA) Refuges Complex. The mission of these refuges and the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. These refuges are representative of the rich and varied habitat and wildlife resources of the coastal region of the state. They are part of a network of over 540 refuges throughout the country that are administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS).
This is the SELA Refuges Complex web site. You are invited to take a virtual tour of these refuges by viewing the pages within this web site. Hopefully the tour will entice you to visit the refuges in the near future.
© Tom Carlisle
This page is the SELA Refuges Complex Home Page. It is accessible from all the pages in the SELA Refuges Complex web site in the menu on the left or near the bottom of the page.
Each of the eight refuges in the complex has a home page. Each refuge home page is accessible from all the pages in the SELA Refuges Complex web site in the menu on the left.
Each of the programs in the SELA Refuges Complex also has a page. Each of the programs is accessible from all the pages in the SELA Refuges Complex web site in a menu on the left or at the bottom of the page.
The "finder" menu to the upper left on each page provides links to web sites that have more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Southeast Region. The links can be used to find specific offices, programs and contacts in the FWS.
At the very bottom of each page are links to other federal government web sites.
SELA Refuges Complex Headquarters Location - The Southeast Louisiana Refuges' headquarters is located on a beautiful property in Lacombe, LA on Hwy 434 two miles south of I-12 (Exit 74). Watch for the Big Branch Marsh Refuge sign. Office Hours are 7 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday. Our phone number is (985) 882-2000. The headquarters property is known as "Bayou Lacombe Centre."
Refuge Visitor Center - The refuge complex has opened it's visitor center located at the complex headquarters address above. The center displays exhibits about all eight refuges managed by the Southeast Louisiana Refuges Complex. Staffed by volunteers, the visitor center is open Thursdays-Saturdays from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Volunteers are needed to help run the visitor center. Please contact the volunteer coordinator at 985-882-2024.
Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges - The Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges is a non-profit, membership organization that supports and advocates for the SELA Refuges. They sponsor several of the refuge annual events, obtain grants to support refuge projects, conduct fund-raising activities to support environmental education programs and help us operate and maintain the refuge facilities and programs by conducting weekend "work-play" days. We appreciate their support and encourage others to become members of the "Friends" organization.
Announcements
Free Public Canoe Trips on Big Branch Marsh Refuge - The four free, public canoe trips scheduled for May and June 2009 are currently booked. We are trying to schedule dates in July and August. If we are able to continue these trips we will post dates here. Please check back soon.
"Wild Things" Youth Art Competition (WTYAC) - Help celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service by submitting artwork representing the plants, animals and habitats of Louisiana. For more information about the Wild Things event, see the Refuge Event Calendar page.
Art will be judged in four age groups: 5-8; 9-11; 12-14; and 15-18.
Subjects: Artwork must represent native plants and animals of Louisiana. This includes plants, animals and landscapes (habitat) and any combination of these. A resource list is available for you to download above.
Categories: The two prize categories are: Drawing (pencil, pen and ink, charcoal) and Painting (oils, watercolors, tempera, acrylics.)
Requirements: Artwork must be: original, recent, matted and not computer generated. No more than one entry in each category per entrant is permitted. Artwork must not be framed or have the entrant name or initials on front.
Click to Download the WTYAC Entry Form Here
Click to Download the Refuge Plant, Habitat and Wildlife Resource List Here
Click to Go to the Refuge Event Calendar to Learn More About the "Wild Things" Event
Click to View the Department of Interior Children's Privacy Policy
Delta National Wildlife Refuge CD - "Discovering the Delta - An Interactive Exploration of Delta National Wildlife Refuge." This educational CD-ROM is now available free of charge. Click here for more information.
© Tom Carlisle
Last Updated on
May 5, 2009