Discover Nature Programs

Through a partnership with the Louisiana Master Naturalist of Greater Baton Rouge (LMNGBR) we are proud to offer exciting new Discover Nature programs featuring local and national experts who are in touch with nature and are eager to share their experiences. All programs will be held in the Imo Brown Complex in the Beverly Brown Coates Auditorium at Hilltop Arboretum. Discover Nature programs are free for Members Magnolia Level ($250) and above. Advance registration is encouraged.

Protecting the Atchafalaya Basin: Flood Risk, Sedimentation, and the Future of Louisiana's Great River Swamp
Featuring Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Executive Director Dean Wilson
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM  

Hilltop welcomes Dean Wilson, Executive Director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, for a presentation exploring the challenges facing the Atchafalaya Basin and why its future matters to all of South Louisiana.

For more than twenty years, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper has worked to protect the nation's largest river swamp through advocacy, education, and scientific research. During this program, Wilson will discuss how sedimentation and current management practices are affecting the Basin's ability to function as a floodway and the potential implications for communities throughout Southcentral Louisiana.

Participants will learn about proposed management solutions designed to maintain the Basin's flood capacity, deliver valuable sediment to Louisiana's eroding coast, and reduce flood risk for future generations. The presentation will also examine the broader role of the Atchafalaya Basin in supporting wildlife habitat, water quality, and the cultural and economic vitality of the region.

About the Speaker

Captain Dean A. Wilson is the Executive Director of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper.  American born, Dean grew up in Spain but came to Louisiana in 1984 en route to the Amazon. After living in the Basin’s deep swamps for 4 months with only a spear, a few hooks, a bow and arrows, Dean fell in love with the swamps, lakes, bayous and rivers of the Atchafalaya Basin. Dean chose to stay in the Basin, working as a commercial fisherman before forming Basinkeeper in 2004, a proud member of the Waterkeeper Alliance. Dean's passion for the Basin is evident to all who know him. When he is not out patrolling or educating communities about the Basin and its many threats and treasures, he works with his family-owned and operated swamp tour business, Last Wilderness Swamp Tours.

Program Details

Protecting the Atchafalaya Basin: Flood Risk, Sedimentation, and the Future of Louisiana's Great River Swamp
August 25, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM

Atchafalaya Basin REGISTRATION

Questions? Contact Hilltop by email info@friendsofhilltop.org or call 225-767-6916.