In the early morning hours of August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina swept into coastal Louisiana from the Gulf of Mexico, and the eye of the storm passed about 15 miles east of this part of Bayou Sauvage Refuge. Ahead of the eye, a tremendous storm surge breached hurricane protection levees on the refuge's southern boundary and covered this area to depths of 6-8 feet, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 132 mph. As the storm moved northward, the winds subsided but floodwaters remained trapped within the levee system for several weeks until they were pumped out. The high salinity had profound effects on the plants and animals of this formerly freshwater ecosystem, killing up to 80% of the trees in the forest and destroying over 1700 acres of fresh and brackish marsh. Some wildlife were displaced or killed by the winds and floodwaters; some mammals likely drowned, others may have found refuge on levees or low ridges, most birds probably escaped, and larger alligators could withstand the surge and salty water better than smaller ones under about 6 feet in size. With the refuge flooded for weeks, many animals were confined to levees and ridges, including destructive wild pigs that can damage levees by digging for roots and other food. Waterfowl numbers fell sharply in the winter after the storm but have begun to rebound as habitat has gradually improved, while neotropical songbirds likely will not return until forested areas recover over many years. Natural regeneration has continued with reforestation projects, efforts to control invasive plants such as Chinese tallow trees, marsh restoration with native wetland species, and long-term help from volunteers.