National Park Service k U.S.

Departm ment of the Inte erior

419 Decat Street tur New Orlea LA 70130 ans 504-589-3 3882 phone gov www.nps.g

Jean Lafitte Natio n onal Historic Par and Preserve cal rk News Relea s ase
Release Date: May 30, 2012 D Contact: a a_scott@nps. .gov, 504-382 2-7838 Aleutia Scott, aleutia

Jean Lafitte, Cy L ypress Legacy Hon 700-Y nor Year-Old M Monarch Tree h
MARRER LA: Honor the Mona RO, arch of the Sw wamp at a sp pecial ceremon 10:30 a.m on Tuesday, June ny m. 19, at the Barataria Pre eserve of Jean Lafitte Natio Historica Park and Pr n onal al reserve. Repr resentatives o the of park, the State of Louis S siana, the Lou uisiana Bicen ntennial Cypre Legacy, a the Atchaf ess and falaya Nation nal Heritage Area will mou a plaque near the Monarch, an old-g A unt n growth baldcy ypress tree es stimated to be about e 700 years old. The Monarch is locat just off th Bayou Coq ted he quille Trail in the preserve, about a quar , rter mile from the Bayou Coquille Trail parking lot. The preserve is located at 6 m C T 6588 Baratari Blvd. in M ia Marrero (near Crow Point). More informati is availabl at 504-689 wn M ion le 9-3690 ext. 10 or at www.n 0 nps.gov/jela. Admission to the cerem n mony and to the preserve is free and ope to the publ t s en lic. Every Lou uisiana Bicen ntennial Cypre Legacy tre must be at least 200 yea old and gr ess ee t ars rowing in a pl lace currently protected from logging. With the suppo of the Lou m W ort uisiana Bicent tennial Comm mission, the Louisiana Bicentennial Cypress Leg a l gacy (http://w www.lapurcha asecypresslega acy.net/) wor to raise rks awareness of the value of swamps and the threats to their surv s a s vival by linkin old-growth trees like th ng h he Monarch to major even in Louisia history lik this years b nts ana ke bicentennial of Louisiana statehood. According to Louisiana Bicentennia Cypress Le g a al egacy creator Harvey Stern such landm n, marks create an ideal n opportuni to link Lou ity uisianas cultu and histo heritage w stewards ural oric with ship of the sta ates ecological inheritanc ce. Jean Laf fitte is honored that the Monarch of the Swamp has been chosen as a legacy t e s n tree, said Bar rataria Preserve Supervisory Park Ranger Aleutia Scott. The Monar is well kno to the thousands of pe S P A rch own eople who walk the Bayou Coquille Trail every year. It serves as a s k C t symbol both o the people and industrie who of es built Loui isianas past and of new ve a entures like ec cotourism. Th Monarch is a reminder that the swam he mps and wetla ands now seen in a few plac like the pr n ces reserve once covered this entire area. The Barat taria Preserve is managed by the Nation Park Servi as part of Jean Lafitte N e b nal ice National Hist torical Park and Preserve. It contains 23,00 acres of for P 00 rest, swamp, and marsh an is home to alligators, eg nd grets, giant blue irises, and ot e ther delta spe ecies. Exhibits at the visito r center highl s light Louisian wetlands nas s through videos, interac v ctive audio an computer programs, and habitat diora nd p d amas. An env vironmental education center provid school pro n des ograms and summer youth camps. Adm h mission to the center and to most o programs is free. The visitor center, parking lots, and picnic ar v , reas are open daily 9:00 a. n .m.-5:00 p.m. .
ww ww.nps.gov
About the National Par Service: Mo than 20,0 National P e rk ore 000 Park Service e employees ca for Americ are cas 397 nation parks and work with co nal d ommunities ac cross the natiion to help pr reserve local h history and cr reate close-to-h home recreati ional opportun nities. Learn more at www. m w.nps.gov.

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA

The National Park Service cares for specia places saved by the American people so tha all may exper c al b n at rience our herita age.