• Image of swamp, bayou, and marsh

    Jean Lafitte

    National Historical Park and Preserve Louisiana

Getting Ready for 2016

The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016. To us, it's not about cakes and candles — it's about being an organization ready to take on the challenges of our second century. Our blueprint to get there — A Call to Action — outlines the innovative work we want to accomplish. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is a big part of this effort. Take a look at what we're doing locally and get involved!

 

  • Fighting Invasive Species at Jean Lafitte

    Image of research bending down from boardwalk toward plastic squares floating in plant-covered water

    Giant salvinia, a floating aquatic fern native to the Amazon Basin, has invaded Jean Lafitte's Barataria Preserve, and it now covers most preserve waterways for much of the year. Giant salvinia impacts plants and animal life and its thick mats are a severe nuisance to boaters and fishers. Read more

  • Making History Live at Jean Lafitte

    Staff and volunteers of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve made history live for park visitors and French Quarter passers-by through innovative programs about the consequences and meanings of 1815's Battle of New Orleans and the Civil War in the South. Read more

  • Revitalizing the Safety Culture at Jean Lafitte and New Orleans Jazz

    Image of volunteers scrubbing headstones at a national cemetery

    Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park teamed up to revitalize the parks' safety culture with new safety training, leadership, and a safe and successful three-day volunteer project. Read more

  • Welcome to Your Virtual Park!

    Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is constantly adding new ways to make a "virtual visit" almost as much fun as the real thing. Web pages take users from swamps to battlefields and the ability to "friend us on Facebook" is only a couple of weeks away. Read more

Did You Know?

Young opossum riding their mother's back.

The opossum is North America's only native marsupial! The female will carry young in her pouch for 2-3 months and then on her back another 1-2 months. A female will usually have 7-8 babies, and each one latches onto one of 13 teats in her pouch.