IBERIA PARISH — The recent legislative change in Louisiana aims to address the ongoing issue of littering not only within state parks but also in surrounding areas, enhancing the ability of state park wardens to enforce anti-littering laws.
State Parks Director Brandon Burris highlighted that for years, visitors to Louisiana's state parks expressed concerns about the litter found along the roadsides near these natural spaces.
Burris noted, “Our visitors would come in and complain about the litter in or around one of our state parks when, actually, the road wasn’t owned by the state park itself.”
Previously, park rangers lacked the authority to address littering outside the parks, even when it visibly affected the visitor experience. Now, under the new law that came into effect on June 4, park wardens can issue citations for both gross and simple littering offenses beyond park boundaries. This allows them to contribute to the cleanliness of nearby communities and public roadways, ultimately preserving the natural beauty of Louisiana.
"Not only does this law let us police our park boundaries better, but it also allows us to help and aid some of those small communities and getting out past our parks to help the community and enforce litter, keeping Louisiana as beautiful as possible,” continued Burris.
Citizens are also encouraged to participate in the effort by reporting littering incidents through the statewide litter hotline at 1-855-LA-LITTER. The overarching goal of this initiative is to foster a more beautiful and sustainable environment for all Louisiana residents and visitors.
