National Wetlands Research Center

The National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) was founded in 1975 as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) Office of Biological Services. Its headquarters are located in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The NWRC is one of 16 science centers of the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. The mission of the National Wetlands Research Center is to develop and disseminate scientific information needed for understanding the ecology and values of U.S. wetlands and for managing and restoring wetland habitats and associated plant and animal communities. Its mission's primary goal is to bridge the gap between researchers and decision makers, mostly by using geographic information systems and producing reports such as coastal characterizations, community and estuarine profiles, and species profiles.