5380876
Fritchie Marsh Unit Reopened For Public Use
Fritchie Marsh reopening
Image Details

The Fritchie Marsh Unit restoration project within Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge begun in late-2024 was successfully completed ahead of schedule. Effective October 31, 2025, Fritchie Marsh is again open to public use including hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities. The restoration involved the use of sediment pumped from Lake Pontchartrain to create over 290 acres of low salinity brackish marsh in areas currently consisting of open water ponds. This project was designed to improve shoreline stability for St. Tammany Parish residents, as well as enhance habitat for waterfowl and estuarine fish, benefiting future generations.

For further details, refer to the attached map showing the specific area within the Fritchie Marsh Unit that has been reopened to public use. Thank you for your patience while this important restoration project was completed.

For more information, please contact Refuge Manager Jimmy Laurent at (985) 882-2031.

Activities

Hunting
Fishing
Hiking
Birding
Boating - non-motorized
Boating - motorized

Related Documents

Big Branch Marsh NWR Bird List.pdf
Name
Big Branch Marsh NWR Bird List.pdf

List of bird species found at Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

PDF

Other Facilities in the Complex

River channel spanned by trees on misty morning
Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge
Located in Louisiana's “Cajun Country,” Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge conserves over 15,000 acres of once vast lower Mississippi alluvial bottomland hardwood forest and bald cypress tupelo swamp habitats. The Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge’s mix of scenic bayous, oxbow lakes, swamps,...
National Wildlife Refuge
Lacombe,LA
Bayou with overhanging trees and fall colors
Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge
Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most undisturbed wild swamplands in the country. Over 90% of the refuge can flood during winter and spring high river periods, creating a labyrinth of sloughs, bayous and lakes. Unique plant and animal communities adapted to the seasonal floods of...
National Wildlife Refuge
Lacombe,LA
Aerial view of crescent shaped island with vegetation in middle ad sandy edges
Breton National Wildlife Refuge
Breton National Wildlife Refuge consists of crescent sweep of low islands located in Breton Sound off the southeast coast of Louisiana. All of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge lands, except for North Breton Island, are part of the National Wilderness System. Breton National Wildlife Refuge...
National Wildlife Refuge
Lacombe,LA
A flooded bottomland forest with spires of cypress knees jutting from water and sun glinting on water
Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge
Located near the town of St. Francisville, Louisiana, 30 miles north of Baton Rouge, Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge conserves some of the region's last naturally functioning bottomland hardwood forest habitat. The Mississippi River carved this unique landscape of ridges and swales, cypress-...
National Wildlife Refuge
St Francisville,LA
aerial view of marshy islands and sandbars
Delta National Wildlife Refuge
Located at the delta of the Mississippi River, Delta National Wildlife Refuges' lush wetlands and marshes provide habitat for migratory birds, and a multitude of fish and wildlife species, and serve as a nursery for the rich aquatic resources of the region such as crabs, shrimp, and fresh and...
National Wildlife Refuge
Lacombe,LA

Locations

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
(985) 882-2000
C/O Southeast Louisiana Refuges61389 Highway 434Lacombe,LA70445-2667