Woodlands Conservancy

One thing that unites us as a nation is land: Americans strongly support saving the open spaces they love. Since 2001, Woodlands Conservancy has been doing just that. Now Woodlands Conservancy announced it has achieved national recognition – joining a network of over 450 accredited land trusts across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to professional excellence and to maintaining the public’s trust in their work.

For Southeast Louisiana, land conservation is about more than preserving beautiful places — it is about climate resilience, storm protection, and safeguarding our future.

Woodlands Conservancy owns and stewards five contiguous properties in Orleans Parish known collectively as Delacroix Preserve, including 650 acres of forested wetlands in Belle Chasse. These wetlands provide critical natural infrastructure for the Greater New Orleans region by:

• Absorbing storm surge and reducing flood risk
• Storing carbon and helping mitigate climate change
• Filtering water and improving water quality
• Providing habitat for native wildlife
• Preserving natural buffers that protect nearby communities

As climate change increases the intensity of storms and sea-level rise threatens coastal Louisiana, permanently protecting wetlands is one of the most effective long-term resilience strategies available.