The concept of creating a large-scale wetland nature preserve originated in 2009 when Spanish Lake Restoration, LLC (SLR) purchased an existing 4,000-acre wetland mitigation bank within the Spanish Lake Basin.  Following the purchase, Scott Nesbit, one of SLR’s founders and wetland ecologist, envisioned a public education-based nature preserve within the 4,000-acre mitigation bank utilizing the miles of abandoned oil and gas gravel roads to share with students as well as adults deep into this historic cypress swamp. 

In 2016, the Spanish Lake Ecological Education Center (SLEEC) was founded as a 501c3 conservation-based nonprofit to maintain the mitigation bank land for perpetuity and operate the wetlands mitigation preserve for the public.  SLEEC’s first objective was to select firms experienced in designing nature preserves and a professional public relationship firm to bring the vision into reality.  

SLEEC also chose to partner with the City of St. Gabriel, Louisiana, a historic underserved community on the Mississippi River.  St Gabriel is home to the preserve and historically the location where some of the first Acadians entered Louisiana, as well as home to the oldest Catholic Church in Louisiana.  Partnering with the City of St. Gabriel will allow the community to utilize SLEEC’s facilities for educational purposes and receive revenue from activities such as coordinating professional conferences, weddings, cooking and art seminars and other such functions.