Please Register for LMNA Rendezvous 2026 - Rooted in Acadiana

Image generated with Copilot and further edited by C. Paxton 1-12-26

Join us where science meets art in the heart of the Cajun bayou country! Registration for LMNA Rendezvous in Acadiana is now open. Please find all the information you need to register at Rendezvous 2026 webpage!

The Massive Atchafalaya Wetland Region -- Larger than the Everglades. The Atchafalaya Basin is the largest river swamp in North America, spanning nearly 1.4 million acres. As an "overflow alluvial swamp," the water levels rise and fall dramatically with the seasons, creating a dynamic ecosystem that is constantly changing.


A Global "Bird Superhighway" — The Basin is a critical stopover on the Mississippi Flyway. See it in Spring 2026! 
The Numbers: Over 270 bird species have been recorded here. It holds the largest nesting concentration of Bald Eagles in the south-central U.S. and serves as a vital nursery for Prothonotary Warblers, Roseate Spoonbills, and Wood Storks.

Iconic Wildlife — The Basin is the primary stronghold for the Louisiana Black Bear (the inspiration for the "Teddy Bear"). It’s also home to:

• Apex Predators: ​ Lake Martin is justly famous for massive American Alligators.
  
  
• Aquatics: Over 100 species of fish and the world’s largest wild harvest of crawfish.
  
  
• Mammals: Bears, river otters, minks, and bobcats.

The "River of Trees" --The scenery is dominated by ancient, moss-draped Bald Cypress and Water Tupelo trees. Some of these "sentinels of the swamp" have stood for many hundreds of years. Navigating through these "cathedrals" by kayak or pirogue offers a silence and a sense of antiquity that is hard to find anywhere else.

A Living Laboratory for Naturalists --Managed for flood control by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the basin is at the center of complex environmental and engineering debates. For a nature lover, it’s a masterclass in how humans and hydrology interact — from the massive Old River Control Structure to the efforts of "Basinkeepers" to protect water quality and flow.