Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve

Alexander Cochrane

Homer Plessy

Jordan B. Noble

Ruby Bridges

Sir Edward Pakenham

As we reflect on 2023, we offer you a list of 23 interesting and exciting science and nature events from parks of the national park system. From a dazzling “ring of fire” annular eclipse to celebrating conservation wins with the help of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, 2023 was filled with amazing moments.

Two-year summary of findings from amphibian monitoring in two sites at the Barataria Preserve, a NPS property near New Orleans, Louisiana. Treefrogs and other amphibians are monitored at two sites along the Bayou des Familles using PVC pipes and plywood coverboards. Community composition and changes in the relative abundance of common species are tracked over time as indicators of park ecological health.

The Barataria Preserve elevation & hydrology dynamics monitoring array project was a collaboration between Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (JELA) ecologists, staff, and college interns. It sought to develop an understanding of basic water quality conditions at the park and assess interior freshwater wetland locations not already studied by regional NPS Inventory and Monitoring teams.

Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.

The road to the Battle of New Orleans for the Choctaws began with the Redstick Creek attack on Fort Mims on August 30, 1813.

The somber aftermath of Civil War battles introduced Americans--North and South--to death on an unprecedented scale and of an unnatural kind, often ending in an unmarked grave far from home. Neither individuals, nor institutions, nor governments were prepared to deal with death on such a massive scale, for never before or since have we killed so many of our own. The Civil War revolutionized the American military's approach to caring for the dead, leading to our modern cult

Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on how dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways: Janssen, S.E., C.J. Kotalik, J.J. Willacker, M.T. Tate, C. Flanagan Pritz, S.J. Nelson, D.P. Krabbenhoft, D. Walters, and C. Eagles-Smith. 2024. Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Foods Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02436

The Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters and the Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble gathered in South Louisiana to in 2024 to share some of their respective sacred traditions with each other for the first time. This program brought both groups together to mentor young people and ensure both the Ring Shout, and the Easter Rock continue for future generations through a series of public performances, lesson plans, interviews and cultural sharing.