Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
- For the coastal region of SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, see Grand CôteGrand CôteThe Grande Côte is a stretch of coast in Senegal, running north from the Cap Vert peninsula to St-Louis.A sandy beach runs along the entire coast, which, unlike the Petite Côte, has few settlements – Kayar and Mboro being exceptions. The last stage of the Dakar Rally runs along the beach...
The Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1989 as part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
North American Waterfowl Management Plan
The North American Waterfowl Management Plan is an international plan to conserve waterfowl and migratory birds in North America. It was established in 1986 by Canada and the United States, and expanded to include Mexico in 1994....
. It is a 6000 acres (24.3 km²) reserve located in Avoyelles Parish
Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana
Avoyelles is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Marksville. In 2000, its population was 41,481. The parish is named for the Avoyel Indian tribe.-History:...
, near Marksville
Marksville, Louisiana
Marksville is a city in and the parish seat of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,537 at the 2000 census. Louisiana's first land-based casino, Paragon Casino Resort, opened in Marksville in June 1994...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Natural history
Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge was once part of the large contiguous Mississippi River bottomland hardwood forest. Topography of the refuge is characterized by a large depressional basin that fills with shallow water from winter rains and backwater flooding.During the seventies, the area that would become Grand Cote Refuge was cleared and leveed for agricultural purposes. The area was poorly suited for farming, but provided ideal shallow flooded habitat preferred by many waterfowl and shorebird species.
Habitat management objectives are centered around providing shallow flooded habitats for waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds during August through March. A special emphasis is placed on providing shallow flooded rive; native moist soil plant fields preferred by northern pintails.
Habitat found on the refuge include: 420 acres (1.7 km²) forest, 2485 acres (10.1 km²) reforestation, 2040 acres (8.3 km²) cropland, 830 acres (3.4 km²) moist soil and 300 acres (1.2 km²) of permanent water.
Underlying soils are the typical poorly drained, nutrient-rich, clays associated with a large river floodplain. These soils are capable of supporting large numbers of resident and migratory wildlife.
External links
- Grand Cote at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the InteriorUnited States Department of the InteriorThe United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency site on Grand Cote