Woodlands Conservancy Achieves National Accreditation

Woodlands Conservancy is proud to announce that it has achieved national accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission — joining a network of more than 450 accredited land trusts across the United States.

Accreditation represents a significant milestone for our organization. It recognizes our commitment to professional excellence, ethical governance, sound financial management, and permanent land protection. The accreditation process required extensive documentation and a comprehensive third-party review to ensure our policies, practices, and stewardship meet the highest national standards.

“Accreditation demonstrates Woodlands Conservancy’s commitment to permanent land conservation in our community,” said Executive Director Katie Brasted. “We are a stronger organization for having gone through the rigorous accreditation process. Our strength ensures that special places will be protected forever.”

Accredited land trusts steward nearly 20 million acres nationwide — an area equivalent to the combined size of Denali, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Everglades, and Yosemite National Parks.

Woodlands Conservancy currently owns and stewards 190-acres in Orleans Parish known as Delacroix Preserve that was acquired in 2012 thanks to a generous donation from Lee and Nancy Dupont, strong environmental stewards in our community. . This includes 650 acres of forested wetlands in Belle Chasse that have been under management since 2004 and fully acquired in 2022. These landscapes provide vital habitat, storm protection, water filtration, and recreational opportunities for the Greater New Orleans community.

National accreditation strengthens our ability to conserve and steward important lands today and for future generations.

We are grateful to our donors, partners, and community members whose support makes this work possible.

Learn more: www.landtrustaccreditation.org

On April 19, 2025, Jed Pitre led the second session of a two-part series on Bird Banding. Bird banding is a critical tool for wildlife research, helping scientists track populations, migration routes, and habitat needs.

Since 2013, Woodlands Conservancy has been operating two field stations on a monthly basis in partnership with Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Program and the Louisiana Bird Observatory. The research program uses banding data to compare bird usage of healthy forested wetland areas that have not been restored and those that have had non-native, invasive vegetation removed.

The training was made possible by funding through Entergy’s Environmental Initiatives Fund.

“Thanks to support from Chevron Oronite’s Oak Point Plant, our trail maintenance activities got a big boost,” said Katie Brasted, executive director for Woodlands Conservancy. A lot of trail maintenance activities at Woodlands Preserve are completed with hundreds of volunteers providing hundreds of hours on an annual basis to trim back woody vegetation from the edges of trails. “The Woodlands Preserve is a tremendous natural asset for this region and the many visitors that spend time walking the trails. The Lane Shark not only enhances the aesthetics of the trail pathway, but it ensures a safer and more enjoyable experience for all,” said Robbie Robinson, corporate affairs representative for Chevron Oronite.

Dozens of community members and outdoor enthusiasts from ages six to eighty-seven took to the trails for Woodlands Conservancy’s 2024 Hike-a-Thon. These champion hikers raised funds and increased awareness for local land conservation, while accepting the challenge to walk, hike, or run the distance of a marathon (26.2 miles) in the month of October.

Thomas Klotz, Agent, New York Life, Ochsner West Bank Campus, 89.9 WWNO and Woodland Plantation were our amazing 2024 Hike-a-Thon Sponsors, along with thirteen hikers that donated additional funds while acquiring miles. Participants in the Hike-A-Thon logged their own mileage as they walked, ran, and hiked; both exploring Woodlands Preserve or choosing to hike any trails of their choice. In addition to participants from Louisiana, the Hike-a-Thon had participants from California, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Chevron and CHS Volunteer Tree Plantings

June 2024

This month, 14 hard-working volunteers from Chevron Oronite and CHS Inc. were able to get a whopping 241 native trees planted in our restoration area in just 4 hours. That’s roughly 17 trees planted per person– in June! Thanks for all your hard work!

While others were banding birds, we banded kids today at this year’s St. Bernard Bird Festival!

This activity allowed young people to experience firsthand what it might be like to be a bander and to be banded! Students were instructed on how to determine species (1^st two letters of first and last name) code as well as measure the band size and “wing size” of their classmate before banding and releasing them. We got lots of good data and look forward to lots of recaptures next year!