St. Bernard State Park, in St. Bernard Parish between Poydras and Caernarvon about 18 miles southeast of New Orleans, was created in 1971 after local businessman and former state senator Lynn Dean and his wife, Jackie, donated the land to Louisiana. For 34 years it was the only state park serving the St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish area. Its modern history was reshaped by Hurricane Katrina, when storm surge after levee failures severely damaged the park and forced it to close for more than a year. Reopened on December 19, 2006, it again serves visitors for camping, birdwatching, and day use.