Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program Keep up with the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program!

Another turtle-y awesome terrapin release is in the books! 🐢😉 Several BTNEP staff members recently joined Nicholls State...
06/11/2026

Another turtle-y awesome terrapin release is in the books! 🐢😉 Several BTNEP staff members recently joined Nicholls State University Associate Professor Dr. Tim Clay and his team, as well as several staff members from the Audubon Nature Institute, to release a basket full of (precious 😍) baby diamondback terrapins into the marsh at Elmer's Island!

This release was one of several conducted as part of a terrapin head-starting program led by Dr. Clay and funded by BTNEP. The program raises terrapins collected from disturbed nests and viable roadkill until they are large enough to survive in the wild—giving these tiny turtles a second chance and helping combat the decline of terrapins in and beyond.

Terrapins are considered a species of concern, and populations across the U.S. have declined drastically in recent decades due to a variety of factors, including ghost fishing in abandoned traps, coastal land loss, and road mortality.

Join us tomorrow, June 5, from 9 am to 12 pm, for Farm Friday — a morning of volunteering and giving back to ! Take a t...
06/04/2026

Join us tomorrow, June 5, from 9 am to 12 pm, for Farm Friday — a morning of volunteering and giving back to ! Take a trip out to the BTNEP Native Plant Nursery, located at the Nicholls Farm, to help us with a special task this month. We’ll be spending the morning packing up native seeds (in the comfort of AC!) to distribute throughout ! If you’d like to join us, please register at [email protected]. Please note that there will be no Farm Friday in July. The Nicholls Farm is located at 104 Thoroughbred Park Dr. in Thibodaux.

Want to grab yourself a seed packet? You can visit our seed libraries at the Terrebonne Parish Library System Main Branch and the Lafourche Parish Public Library Thibodaux Branch!

Our BTNEP Pollinator Plant Giveaway was a huge success! We were joined by approximately 200 visitors and gave out over 1...
06/04/2026

Our BTNEP Pollinator Plant Giveaway was a huge success! We were joined by approximately 200 visitors and gave out over 1,200 plants!!! 😍 We were so excited to see and visit with all of you, and we’re extra excited to know that these plants are making their way into .

By planting native, you’ll attract native wildlife to your garden and promote healthy local pollinator habitats. Thank you for all who attended and a shout out to BTNEP’s Wildlife Conservation Coordinator Natalie Waters, and our team at the BTNEP Nursery, for hosting such a great event!

DON'T FORGET!!!! Our BTNEP Pollinator Plant Giveaway is TOMORROW, Saturday, May 30th! Join us from 9 am - 12 pm at the B...
05/29/2026

DON'T FORGET!!!! Our BTNEP Pollinator Plant Giveaway is TOMORROW, Saturday, May 30th! Join us from 9 am - 12 pm at the BTNEP Native Plant Nursery, where we'll be giving out FREE native pollinator plants to attract pollinators to your garden! The Nursery is located at the Nicholls Farm at 104 Thoroughbred Park Dr. in Thibodaux. Please do not block driveways or in yards on Thoroughbred.

This month, several BTNEP staff members traveled to Mobile for the Gulf of America Alliance Gulf Conference (GulfCon) — ...
05/29/2026

This month, several BTNEP staff members traveled to Mobile for the Gulf of America Alliance Gulf Conference (GulfCon) — an event that brings together coastal scientists and stakeholders from state and federal government, academia, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to discuss current research and future plans for the Gulf.

Our staff took particular interest in the Gulf’s marine biology, most notably the Rice's whale, as well as Gulf Coast–focused teacher professional development programs, student-centered curricula, and additional ways to advance our marine debris data collection efforts.

Happy World Otter Day! Meet Odette the Otter, the only furry member of BTNEP's Crtter Krewe, which can be found in swamp...
05/27/2026

Happy World Otter Day! Meet Odette the Otter, the only furry member of BTNEP's Crtter Krewe, which can be found in swamps, bayous, and marshes throughout !

When you think of the Estuary's wildlife, otters might not be the first to come to mind, but did you know that Louisiana hosts one of the healthiest populations of the North American river otter in the entire country?! This is largely because of the abundance of food to eat. They have great taste, too — filling their bellies with the delicious crawfish, frogs, and fish of our Estuary! 🦞 🐸 🐟

05/26/2026

Check it out! BTNEP Senior Scientist Andrew Barron and Water Quality Coordinator Siva Nunna were invited to speak with HTV10 about our Home Sewage Assistance Program! The initiative is run in partnership with the South Central Planning and Development Commission, and offers a cost-share program for homeowners with broken or failing home sewage systems within the Bayou Lafourche, Folse, and Terrebonne watersheds. If you are interested in learning more about this program, please contact our program partner, the South Central Planning and Development Commission (SCPDC), at (985) 851-2900.

Last week, we hosted our Q2 Management Conference and Annual Crawfish Boil at The Coastal Center on Nicholls State Unive...
05/22/2026

Last week, we hosted our Q2 Management Conference and Annual Crawfish Boil at The Coastal Center on Nicholls State University’s campus and we had a wonderful attendance — it was great to visit and learn with all of you!

We kicked the meeting off by voting to approve a new Management Conference Member Organization, and we’re excited to give a warm welcome to the Coastal Technical Assistance Center (CTAC)! Our staff then presented our draft FY27 Base Funding and IIJA Work Plans, outlining nine proposed projects for the year ahead. Both work plans were approved unanimously by the Management Conference membership. Attendees heard from Marty Bienvenu, Executive Director-LOSCO, Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy; Cody Aloi, Program Manager at the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, with his trusty sidekick Dilla; and Dr. Quenton Fontenot, Professor of Biology at Nicholls State University. After the meeting, we gathered for BTNEP’s Annual Crawfish Boil, and enjoyed beautiful weather and delicious crawfish and fixings from our friends at Spahr’s Seafood!

Thank you to our speakers and all who joined us for a great day of learning and fellowship, and please mark your calendars for our Q3 Management Conference on Thursday, August 13, as we travel to the western region of the Estuary at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium!

You can find a copy of the agenda, draft work plans, speaker presentations, and a recording of the meeting at btnep.org/2026/05/04/q2-mc-2026/

It’s World Bee Day! 🐝 A day devoted to raising global awareness of the critical role that bees and other pollinators pla...
05/20/2026

It’s World Bee Day! 🐝 A day devoted to raising global awareness of the critical role that bees and other pollinators play in sustaining our daily lives. Pollinators may be small, but they make a big impact — did you know that they are responsible for approximately 1 in every 3 bites of food we eat?! Unfortunately, bee populations are in serious decline throughout North America and beyond, largely due to habitat destruction, harmful land management practices and monocultures, and widespread excessive pesticide use.

The good news? You can help save pollinators like bees from the comfort of your own home! One of the easiest ways to support them is by creating a diverse landscape around your home using native plants, which also limits the need for pesticides and excessive water use.

The even better news? You can visit us on SATURDAY, MAY 30, from 9 am to 12 pm at the BTNEP Native Plant Nursery and take home FREE native pollinator plants from our Pollinator Plant Giveaway! We’ll have seven species available, including Lemon Beebalm and Plains Coreopsis. The Nursery is located at the Nicholls Farm at 104 Thoroughbred Park Dr. in Thibodaux.

Lemon Beebalm photo credit: Natalie Waters

Several members of Senator John Kennedy’s staff were recently traveling through the state to meet with constituents, so ...
05/20/2026

Several members of Senator John Kennedy’s staff were recently traveling through the state to meet with constituents, so they joined BTNEP for some ! We visited The Coastal Center at Nicholls State University, observed the construction of the new Bayou Lafourche pump structure with the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District, and stopped by the Nicholls State University Biological Sciences Department.

Thank you to Laci Melancon, Executive Director at The Coastal Center; Dustin Rabalais, Executive Director at Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District; and Dr. Quenton Fontenot, Professor of Biology at Nicholls State University, for sharing your expertise with us!

Address

The Coastal Center At Nicholls State University, 426 Ardoyne Drive Room 209
Thibodaux, LA
70301

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

(985) 447-0868

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program:

Shortcuts

Share