287 Wolf River Acres Protected!

Before the end of 2022, the Conservancy was able to secure a 287-acre conservation easement on the Wolf River in Mississippi.  This easement is a huge victory on a section of the river which previously had no protected lands.  Both the Conservancy and the landowner hope that establishing a node of protected land and a model for other nearby landowners will spur more land conservation on this scenic stretch of river. Furthermore, this easement ensures these wetlands and adjacent upland habitats will always continue to recharge the Memphis Sand Aquifer, provide wetland habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife, and offer scenic views to Wolf River paddlers.

Conservation easements – agreements between landowners and land trusts - are great tools for ensuring that the conservation values on a property will be sustained in perpetuity.  In this case, the landowner donated the conservation easement to the Conservancy after we negotiated a set of restrictions placed on the property to ensure the conservation values (wetlands, forest, open spaces, rare species, scenic values, etc.) are protected against degradation (from development, mineral extraction, or other degrading land uses).