The Last Wilderness Swamp Tours, a family-operated business in Plaquemine, embodies eco-friendliness through the Wilson family’s passion for preserving the Atchafalaya Basin. Led by Dean and his children, Al and Silvia, our team is devoted to sharing our profound love for this natural wonder while ensuring sustainable practices guide every tour.
Captain Dean A. Wilson
Dean is the owner of The Last Wilderness Tours. He became the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper after making his living as a commercial fisherman and hunter in the Atchafalaya Basin for over 16 years. For many years, he was also the Chair of the Atchafalaya Basin Committee with the Sierra Club. He works to protect the Atchafalaya Basin and Louisiana’s swamps through education, research, and enforcement of our environmental laws. With help from volunteer pilots through SouthWings, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper is the only group monitoring for illegal cypress logging in southern Louisiana and is the main group working to stop the cypress mulch industry. Dean spearheaded the Save Our Cypress Coalition that managed to stop most of the cypress logging in coastal Louisiana. To learn more about Atchafalaya Basinkeeper please go to www.basinkeeper.org. Dean habla Español.
Albert (Al) Wilson
Meet Capt. Albert “Al” Wilson, owner of Last Wilderness Kayaks & Rentals. A local through and through, Al has been guiding swamp tours for over a decade. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Ecology and Management with a focus on Wetland Science from LSU, Al brings a wealth of knowledge to our beautiful swamps. As a part-time commercial crawfisherman, he adds hands-on experience to his expertise, ensuring you get the best possible experience when exploring the Atchafalaya Basin. Al habla Español.
Silvia Wilson Drinkwater
Silvia is a full-time mom and the marketing director for The Last Wilderness Swamp Tours. You can take her out of the swamp, but you can’t take the swamp out of her! She is Dean Wilson’s one of two daughters and has an associate degree in General Studies. Traveling and primitive camping are in her roots but Silvia also grew up fishing and exploring the Atchafalaya Basin with her dad. When Silvia is not assisting customers or managing The Last Wilderness Swamp tours, she is gardening, cooking, tending to her family farm, and spending time with her family. Silvia habla Español.