Download the Louisiana Factsheet

Download the LWCF Factsheet for Louisiana, FY 12 Projects and Talking Points

LWCF Success in Louisiana

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped protect some of Louisiana’s most treasured places. Louisiana has received approximately $205 million over the past four decades, protecting places such as the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve and the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge.

Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge

The Land and Water Conservation Fund, along with other federal funds and private sources, was instrumental to protecting thousands of acres of land at Tensas River NWR.  The acquisition effort linked separated portions of the refuge and provided significant opportunities for bottomland hardwood reforestation and habitat restoration, especially for the Louisiana black bear. When European settlers first arrived in the area, an estimated 25 million acres of bottomland hardwoods were seasonally flooded in the Mississippi Valley. Currently, less than 5 million acres of this valuable resource remain, fragmented and scattered throughout the valley, serving as islands of wooded habitat.

Economic Benefits

Active outdoor recreation is an important part of the Louisiana economy.  The Outdoor Industry Association has found that active outdoor recreation contributes more than $4.7 billion annually to Louisiana’s economy, supports 48,000 jobs across the state, generates $225 million in annual state tax revenue and produces $3.2 billion annually in retail sales and services across Louisiana.  The U.S. Census
reports that over 1.2 million people enjoy hunting, fishing and wildlife watching across Louisiana, contributing $2 billion in wildlife recreation spending to the state economy.  With full LWCF funding, Louisiana’s outdoor recreation economy will stay strong and continue to create sustainable long-term economic growth.

Download "The Active Outdoor Recreation Economy Report for Louisiana"