Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program

What Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program does

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization headquartered at the Coastal Center on Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is one of 28 EPA-designated National Estuary Programs and the only one in Louisiana, with a statutory mandate to preserve, protect, and restore the 4.2-million-acre Barataria-Terrebonne estuary spanning all or part of 16 parishes between the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. BTNEP coordinates a Management Conference that convenes federal, state, and local government agencies, scientists, conservation organizations, agricultural interests, businesses, and individual stakeholders under a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). Operations are delivered through 14 staff across two physical sites: the Coastal Center headquarters and a Native Plant Nursery at Nicholls Farm.

The organization's core offerings are nine environmental programs: Migratory & Resident Birds, Education, Habitat Restoration, Invasive Species, Outreach, Native Plant Production, Volunteer, Water Quality, and Pollinator Conservation. Each operates its own subdomain site and an Action Plan aligned to the CCMP, with on-the-ground activities spanning marsh plantings, water quality monitoring, native plant propagation, K-12 curriculum delivery, teacher workshops, and large-scale volunteer cleanups. The Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Foundation (BTEF) functions as the affiliated 501(c)(3) fundraising arm, hosting the annual White Boot Gala and processing tax-deductible donations. In 2025, BTNEP mobilized more than 500 volunteers who removed over 12 tons of trash from bayous, earning the 2025 Love the Boot Outstanding Organization Award from Keep Louisiana Beautiful.

BTNEP's business model is donation- and grant-funded, not commercial. The primary revenue stream is federal funding from the EPA's National Estuary Program, which is contingent on reauthorization of the ESTUARIES Act (H.R.3962/S.2063) through 2031. Secondary revenue comes from BTEF-administered donations and modest event revenue (White Boot Gala tickets $70–$150; Paddle the Estuary registrations $15–$30). Most programs and resources are delivered at no cost to participants, with paid engagement limited to fundraising events and paddle registrations. Strategic partnerships span the EPA, LUMCON, Nicholls State University, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Keep Louisiana Beautiful, Keep Terrebonne Beautiful, Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District, parish governments, and WWNO (for the Wetlands Radio Show).

Name

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program

Legal name

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program

Website

https://btnep.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) is a Thibodaux, Louisiana-based nonprofit and the only EPA-designated National Estuary Program in Louisiana, coordinating habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and environmental education across a 4.2-million-acre, 16-parish estuary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG), Wetland, Riparian & Buffer Services (within forest landscapes) (AFAMAMAI)

Keywords

• Estuary management
• Habitat restoration
• Coastal conservation
• Watershed protection
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Thibodaux, Louisiana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: BTNEP accepts donations through the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Foundation (BTEF), including online PayPal contributions and alternative payment methods coordinated via the BTNEP office.
2. Federal Funding (National Estuary Program): BTNEP is dependent on the ESTUARIES Act reauthorization to continue receiving federal EPA funding for coastal restoration work across the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) is one of 28 National Estuary Programs under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Thibodaux, Louisiana, dedicated to preserving, protecting, and restoring the Barataria-Terrebonne estuarine system across 16 parishes in southeast Louisiana. BTNEP delivers habitat restoration, environmental education, outdoor engagement, and bird/wildlife conservation programs, funded primarily through EPA federal grants, donations, and fundraising events.

Product overview

BTNEP is a nonprofit partnership organization focused on the preservation, protection, and restoration of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary. The organization operates as a unified portfolio of environmental programs rather than a commercial product platform. Its core offerings include the Migratory & Resident Birds Program, Education Program, Habitat Restoration, Invasive Species Program, Outreach Program, Native Plant Production, Volunteer Program, Water Quality Program, and Pollinator Conservation. These programs work collaboratively to address environmental challenges in the 4.2 million-acre estuary region between the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in southeast Louisiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Migratory & Resident Birds Program: Framework for bird population conservation through monitoring and public education.
• Education Program
• Habitat Restoration Program
• Invasive Species Program
• Water Quality Program
• Native Plant Production
• Volunteer Program
• Pollinator Conservation
• Outreach Program
• White Boot Gala
• Paddle the Estuary

Products and services

• Habitat Restoration Program Restoration projects that preserve, protect, and rehabilitate the estuarine habitats of the Barataria-Terrebonne basin across 16 parishes in southeast Louisiana. Targeted at government partners, landowners, and conservation collaborators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 volunteers removed more than 12 tons of trash in 2025 bayou cleanups, winning the '2025 Love the Boot Outstanding Organization Award' from Keep Louisiana Beautiful
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Foundation (BTEF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBTEF is the primary fundraising arm of BTNEP, hosting the annual White Boot Gala and accepting tax-deductible donations on behalf of the program. BTEF logo appears alongside BTNEP and EPA logos on the BTNEP website footer, indicating a close formal partnership.
• Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLUMCON is a key scientific partner, with BTNEP hosting events at LUMCON facilities (e.g., the Blue Works facility on the Houma Maritime Campus). LUMCON supports the scientific and research mission of the Management Conference.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBTNEP is part of the EPA's National Estuary Program, one of 28 nationwide. EPA provides federal funding and technical oversight. BTNEP is dependent on the ESTUARIES Act reauthorization to continue receiving EPA funding.
• Nicholls State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBTNEP's headquarters is located at The Coastal Center on Nicholls State University's campus in Thibodaux. The university's farm hosts BTNEP's Native Plant Nursery. The partnership enables research collaboration and student volunteer engagement.
• Keep Terrebonne BeautifulcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeep Terrebonne Beautiful partnered with BTNEP to expand the 2026 Bayou Cleanup into Terrebonne Parish for the first time, adding cleanup sites along three additional bayous in addition to the traditional Bayou Lafourche cleanup.
• Keep Louisiana BeautifulminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeep Louisiana Beautiful awarded BTNEP the '2025 Love the Boot Outstanding Organization Award' recognizing the organization's cleanup achievements. This is an annual recognition program.
• Lafourche Parish GovernmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides assistance for BTNEP's Bayou Lafourche Cleanup events and related restoration activities across the parish.
• Assumption Parish Police JuryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists BTNEP in its Bayou Cleanup 2026 event, expanding cleanup coverage into Assumption Parish.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDWF partners with BTNEP and Nicholls State University on the annual International Coastal Cleanup at Elmer's Island Wildlife Refuge, coinciding with the Ocean Conservancy's global cleanup day.
• WWNOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWWNO is a sponsor and broadcast partner for the Wetlands Radio Show, a 12-part audio series funded by BTNEP chronicling Louisiana's coastal restoration journey.
• Cajun Music Preservation SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides live music at BTNEP events including the White Boot Gala and the Paddle the Estuary series, enhancing community engagement.
• Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with BTNEP on the annual Bayou Lafourche Cleanup and water quality improvement initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Galveston Bay Foundation: Texas-based National Estuary Program implementing marsh restoration, native plant nurseries, water quality, and volunteer programs in a coastal estuarine system — directly comparable mission and operating model to BTNEP.
• Delaware Center for the Inland Bays: EPA-designated NEP running restoration, water quality, and education programming for the Inland Bays; closely mirrors BTNEP's small-staff, partner-driven approach to estuary management.
• Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program: Texas Gulf-coast NEP administering CCMP-based restoration, education, and stakeholder engagement across a multi-county estuarine system — comparable geographic scope and program mix.
• San Francisco Estuary Partnership: One of the largest and longest-running NEPs, administering CCMP-style restoration plans, education, and stakeholder programs across a major Pacific-coast estuary under the same EPA framework.
• Tampa Bay Estuary Program: Fellow EPA-designated National Estuary Program administering coastal restoration, water quality, and education across a multi-county estuarine region via a similar Management Conference/governance model. Structurally the closest 1:1 peer.
• Mobile Bay National Estuary Program: Gulf-Coast National Estuary Program operating under the same EPA NEP framework with a comparable mix of habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, education, and stakeholder convening in a coastal Alabama setting.
• Puget Sound Partnership: Pacific-Northwest estuary program administering a federally-supported action agenda for Puget Sound restoration, sharing the NEP-style coordination, science, and education portfolio.
• Indian River Lagoon Council (formerly IRL NEP): Florida National Estuary Program administering restoration, water quality, and outreach for the Indian River Lagoon under the same federal NEP framework as BTNEP.

Others

• Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON): Strategic scientific partner hosting BTNEP events at Houma Maritime Campus; comparable as a Louisiana-coastal marine science and education organization, though not an NEP itself.

Broad incumbents

• Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority (Louisiana CPRA): State-level agency that plans and funds most large-scale Louisiana coastal restoration projects; overlaps with BTNEP on restoration mission and geography and is the largest adjacent player in the Barataria-Terrebonne region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/BTNEP
• Facebookfacebook.com/BTNEP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/btnep
• Instagraminstagram.com/btnep/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program