Bayou Teche designation viewed as promotional boost

Wednesday’s designation of the Bayou Teche as the 17th trail of the National Water Trails System means it’s a waterway that is great for recreation, Cajun Coast Executive Director Carrie Stansbury said.
“I’m excited about it. This is more of an honorary designation. It’s a non-regulatory agency. They’re not going to tell you what you can and cannot do with the land that has access to the waterway. It has more of a promotional value,” Stansbury said.
The Bayou Teche passes through 15 communities and four parishes as it makes its 135 mile trek from Port Barre to Berwick.
The designation by the National Park Service recognized the achievements of federal, state and local partners, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said in a news release.
“Basically, it says that this waterway is great for recreation, and you should give it a try,” Stansbury said.
The designation lists the bayou on various websites and the National Park Service promotes it as a network of national exemplary water trails that can be sustained by an ever-growing water trail community.
Conni Castille, executive director of the TECHE Project, said it’s a prestigious recognition.
“A lot of people pay attention to that,” she said. Eco-tourists view the designation by the government as a guide to experiencing the United States by water, Castille added.
Stansbury said a large number of tourists here are eco-tourists. They are seeking bird watching, swamp tours, the Bayou Teche Wildlife Refuge, Tour du Teche and more, she said.
“All of that takes advantage of the assets we have in St. Mary Parish,” Stansbury said.
Berwick Mayor Louis Ratcliff said the town, which hosts the finish line of the Tour du Teche paddle race each October, is proud to be associated with the organization that brings awareness of the waterway to the nation.
“We are extremely proud to be associated with the successful Tour du Teche and look forward to continuing working with the organizers for another event in 2015. All of St. Mary Parish should be proud of the Bayou Teche being designated as a National Water Trail system since the waterway passes through the entire parish.”
Echoing those comments, Donna Meyer, St. Mary Chamber of Commerce president, said “This designation will definitely bring value to St. Mary Parish, hopefully enticing tourists to our area that are looking for family friendly activities. In addition, businesses surrounding the path should experience an increase in sales. St. Mary Parish is a great place to live, work and play, and this recognition will provide another reason for tourists to visit.”
State Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin, stressed that the designation is promotional and non-regulatory.
“What we always wanted to be careful of is while keeping (the bayou) as pristine as possible that we don’t let it interrupt the commerce that exists on it from Loreauville down through St. Mary,” Jones said.
In Franklin alone, there are 12 industries that use the bayou for ingress and egress and Jones said there are still more in eastern St. Mary Parish where the bayou empties into the Atchafalaya River.
Still, he said, the designation is a positive one for tourism because it “really elevates the stature of races like the Tour du Teche.