A intensive burning program is carried out each year on the upland pine areas of the refuge, with a average of 3,000 acres being burned each year. Much of the habitat is subject to flooding on an annual basis. The refuge has a number of bayous that slowly drain flood waters leaving shallow swamps and oxbow lakes which support stands of tupelo gum, cypress, buttonbush, and other species tolerant to extremely wet habitats. The upland areas or ridges often crest at no more than one foot above swamp areas and contain nutall, willow and water oaks and other species while overcup oak, bitter pecan and ash dominate the transition zone from swamp to upland. Additional habitat types consist of reforested and agricultural areas.
Agriculture is used primarily to support large concentrations of wintering waterfowl.
The refuge supports healthy populations of resident wildlife and neotropical migrants. The potential size of this Refuge is 34,256 acres, and to date incompasses approximately 24,125 acres. Habitat within the area consists of bottomland and upland hardwoods, cleared land, cypress swamps, accredit land, and fallow fields. The Refuge has four permanent water bodies, Old St. Catherine Creek, Gilliard, Alligator, and Butler Lakes. Because of being one of the very few wintering areas that is actually located adjacent to the Mississippi River, the Refuge can be inundated for large periods of time because of the backwater flooding.