List of Louisiana Wildlife Management Areas facts for kids
Louisiana Wildlife Management Areas are special places in Louisiana. They are set aside to protect and help wildlife. This includes all kinds of animals and plants, even those living in water.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries often owns or manages these areas. Their job is to make sure the rules are followed. This helps keep nature safe for everyone.
Contents
Louisiana's Natural Regions
Louisiana is divided into different natural areas called ecoregions. Each ecoregion has its own special features.
- The West Gulf Coast Plain covers a huge area of 370,861 acres.
- The East Gulf Coast Plain is 198,377 acres in size.
- The Mississippi Alluvial Valley - North is 128,736 acres.
- The Mississippi Alluvial Valley - South covers 257,999 acres.
These different regions help protect many types of plants and animals.
Wildlife Management Areas
Here is a list of the Wildlife Management Areas in Louisiana. They are important for protecting nature.
| Name | Parish or Parishes | Acres | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadiana Conservation Corridor Wildlife Management Area | Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides, St. Landry | 2,285 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Alexander State Forest | Rapides | 8,158 | State of Louisiana |
| Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area | St. Mary | 137,695 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), LDWF, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) |
| Attakapas Wildlife Management Area | Iberia Parish, St. Martin, St. Mary | 27,962 | State of Louisiana, United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Bayou Macon Wildlife Management Area | East Carroll | 6,919 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Bayou Pierre Wildlife Management Area | DeSoto, Red River | 2,799 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Ben Lilly Conservation Area | Morehouse | 247 | State of Louisiana; managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) |
| Big Colewa Bayou Wildlife Management Area | West Carroll | 1,798 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Big Lake Wildlife Management Area | Franklin, Madison, Tensas | 19,231 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Biloxi Wildlife Management Area | St. Bernard | 35,644 | Biloxi Marsh Land Corporation |
| Bodcau Wildlife Management Area | Bossier and Webster | 33,766 | U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and a private corporate landowner |
| Boeuf Wildlife Management Area | Caldwell, Catahoula | 51,110 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Buckhorn Wildlife Management Area | Tensas | 11,121 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Catahoula Lake Wildlife Management Area | La Salle | 29440 | State of Louisiana |
| Bussey Brake Wildlife Management Area | Morehouse | 2,600 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area (former Boise-Vernon WMA) | Vernon | 52,559 | Boise Cascade sold to Forest Capital Partners, LLC., then sold to Molpus Woodlands Group and The Hancock Timber Resource Group |
| Dewey W. Wills Wildlife Management Area (former Saline WMA) | Catahoula, LaSalle, Rapides | 63,984 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, LaSalle Parish School Board, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Elbow Slough Wildlife Management Area | Rapides | 160 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Elm Hall Wildlife Management Area | Assumption | 2,839 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Esler Field Wildlife Management Area | Rapides, Grant | 12,500 | Louisiana National Guard |
| Floy Ward McElroy Wildlife Management Area | Richland | 681 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Fort Johnson North Wildlife Management Area (formerly Peason Ridge WMA) | Sabine, Natchitoches, Vernon | 74,309 | U.S. Army |
| Fort Johnson-Vernon Wildlife Management Area | Vernon | 105,545 | U.S. Army and U.S. Forest Service |
| Grassy Lake Wildlife Management Area | Avoyelles Parish | 12,983 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Hutchinson Creek Wildlife Management Area | St. Helena | 129 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| J. C. "Sonny" Gilbert Wildlife Management Area (former Sicily Island Hills WMA) | Catahoula Parish | 7,524 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: |
| John Franks Wildlife Management Area | Caddo | 3,664 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Joyce Wildlife Management Area | Tangipahoa | 42,292 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Joyce Foundation (851 acres), and Tangipahoa School Board (484 acres) |
| Lake Boeuf Wildlife Management Area | Lafourche | 800 | Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Lake Ramsay Savannah Wildlife Management Area | St. Tammany | 796 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Little River Wildlife Management Area | Grant, LaSalle, and Rapides | 6,045 | Resource Management Service, LLC and LDWF (4,164), LDWF and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (5951) |
| Loggy Bayou Wildlife Management Area | Bossier | 6,558 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Manchac Wildlife Management Area | St. John the Baptist | 8,328 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Marsh Bayou Wildlife Management Area | Evangeline | 655 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area | Ascension, Livingston, St. John the Baptist, St. James and Tangipahoa | 112,615 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Pass a Loutre Wildlife Management Area | Plaquemines | 115,000 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Pearl River Wildlife Management Area | St. Tammany | 35,619 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Peason Ridge Wildlife Management Area | Sabine, Natchitoches, and Vernon | 74,309 | U.S. Army, U.S. Forest Service |
| Pointe-aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area | Terrebonne and Lafourche | 33,488 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Pomme de Terre Wildlife Management Area | Avoyelles | 6,434 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Richard K. Yancey Wildlife Management Area (former Red River/Three Rivers WMA) | Concordia | 70,872 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area | Morehouse, Ouachita and Richland | 38,213 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries |
| Sabine Island Wildlife Management Area | Calcasieu | 8,343 | State of Louisiana and Calcasieu Parish Schools |
| Sabine Wildlife Management Area | Sabine | 7,571 | Forest Capital Partners, LLC, et al |
| Salvador\/Timken Wildlife Management Area | St. Charles | 34,520 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (Salvador); City Park Commission of New Orleans (Timken) |
| Sandy Hollow Wildlife Management Area | Tangipahoa Parish | 4,655 | Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (3,514 acres) and Tangipahoa Parish School Board (181 acres) |
| Sherburne Complex Wildlife Management Area | Pointe Coupee, St. Martin, and Iberville | 43,637 | LDWF, USFWS, and USACOE |
| Soda Lake Wildlife Management Area | Caddo | 2,500 | Caddo Levee District, USACOE |
| Spring Bayou Wildlife Management Area | Avoyelles | 12,506 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Tangipahoa Parish School Board Wildlife Management Area | Tangipahoa | 1,643 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (Free Lease) |
| Thistlethwaite Wildlife Management Area | St. Landry | 11,100 | Thistlethwaite Heirs |
| Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area | West Feliciana | 6,503 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Walnut Hill Wildlife Management Area | Vernon | 595 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| West Bay Wildlife Management Area | Allen | 59,189 | Hancock Timber, Roy O. Martin, Forest Investment |
| White Lake Wetland Conservation Area | Vermilion | 71,905 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
Past Wildlife Management Areas
Sometimes, areas that were once WMAs change. This can happen for different reasons.
Jackson - Bienville WMA
The Jackson - Bienville Wildlife Management Area was a WMA since 1961. It was over 25,000 acres. However, the agreement to manage it ended in 2016. This was because a new agreement could not be reached with the Weyerhaeuser Company. Even so, special nesting spots for Red-cockaded woodpeckers are still protected by Louisiana laws.
Georgia Pacific WMA
The Georgia Pacific WMA was a large area of 25,480 acres. It was managed by the LDWF for many years. This area was known as Terzia Game Preserve before 1966. It stopped being a WMA in 2003. This happened after the land was sold to a new company. There were also questions about tax rules for such lands. This situation showed how important it is for land owners and the state to work together. It helps keep land open for the public to enjoy.
Conservation Areas
Conservation areas are also important for protecting nature.
- The White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area is in Vermilion Parish. It helps protect wetlands.
Wildlife Refuges
Wildlife refuges are special places where animals are safe. They are protected from harm.
| Name | Parish or Parishes | Acres | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elmer's Island Wildlife Refuge | Jefferson Parish | 1,145 | State of Louisiana: Managed by the LDWF |
| Isle Dernieres Barrier Islands Refuge | Terrebonne Parish: Wine, Trinity/East, Whiskey, and Raccoon Islands | 1,900 | State of Louisiana |
| Marsh Island Wildlife Refuge | Iberia Parish | 76,664 (now 71,000) | LDWF |
| Queen Bess Island Wildlife Refuge | Jefferson | 37 | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
| Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge | Cameron Parish, Vermilion Parish | 71,000 | State of Louisiana |
| St. Tammany Wildlife Refuge | St. Tammany Parish | 1,310 | Owned by LDWF; cooperatively managed by LDWF and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State Wildlife Refuge | Vermilion | 13,000 | LDWF |
| Waddill Wildlife Refuge and Outdoor Education Center | East Baton Rouge Parish | 250 | LDWF |
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List of Louisiana Wildlife Management Areas Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.