the unique "iris nelsonii" species can only be found in the turkey island swamp in vermillion parish, louisiana—property that is privately owned. amity bass and chris reid are two botanists that are currently involved in the protection and conservation of the species in louisiana. they have been involved in surveying the privately owned property where the endemic plant resides, and are currently in the process of transplanting some of the rhizomes to replant in a neighboring state park. it is this park, palmetto island state park, and others that louisiana department of wildlife and fisheries are teaming with to bring public awareness to the conservation issue of "iris nelsonii". by replanting the species and opening educational exhibits, the relatively new hot topic of this endemic plant is now gaining more public awareness. this awareness helped gain the approval for legislative funding by representative simone champagne of jeanerette in 2011. the state funding provided the louisiana department of wildlife and fisheries with the means to build the exhibit in the palmetto island state park. the remaining conservation concern is centered on the privately owned turkey island swamp, and the importance of conserving and maintaining "iris nelsonii" 's natural habitat. with the permission of the land owners, surveys of the swamp are ongoing, with the understanding that, if the swamp habitat is compromised, the endemic louisiana species will be wiped away. a prominent threat to the swamp resides in the comparing the present-day hydrology to the hydrology of the swamp the year the abbeville red was discovered. the swamp is not only drier than in 1939, but also more salt concentrated. changes are a result of the seasonal occurrence of hurricanes in louisiana and coastal wetland erosion, that sequentially drains into the nearby swamp. additionally, agricultural influence and man-made alterations to waterways have led to the drier swamp habitat. overall, the continued reproduction of the iris in the swamp habitat, and the noteworthy isolation of the swamp, are two factors scientist reason are key to the iris's survival, and if compromised, may cause the integrity of the abbeville red to be in danger.