August 2022: A Message from Our Director

It is with a great deal of excitement that I share with you the news that the Wolf River Conservancy was recently awarded a $1 million grant to fund our work on wetland conservation in the Wolf River Watershed in Tennessee and Mississippi.This announcement was recently shared by U.S. Secretary of the interior, Deb Haaland, who says this grant is part of a larger $95 Million effort to conserve and restore more than 300,000 acres of important habitats across North America. This work is made possible through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

NAWCA is the only federal grant program dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds. Since 1989, funding has advanced the conservation of wetland habitats and their wildlife in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico, while engaging more than 6,600 partners in over 3,200 projects. Through NAWCA, federal funds are typically leveraged at twice the legally required dollar-for-dollar non-federal match-to-grant ratio. The Conservancy has leveraged this grant with more than $2.7 million in matching funds for protected wetland properties.

The $1 million dollar grant toward our land conservation work is significant, but equally important to our staff and board of directors is that the grant signifies the quality of our conservation projects and our ability to complete the projects effectively.

We will use the NAWCA funds to engage in conservation purchases of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, songbirds, and other birds within the Wolf River watershed. These conservation projects are all in support of our mission to protect wetlands from near the source of the Wolf River in Benton County, Mississippi to the confluence with the Mississippi River, north of downtown Memphis, spanning three congressional districts (MS-1, TN-8, TN-9).

Wetlands provide many economic, ecological, and social benefits to species and the surrounding communities. They are also important protections from the effects of climate change such as flooding and rising seas. NAWCA grants conserve bird populations and wetland habitat while supporting local economies and outdoor recreational opportunities, such as hunting, fishing, and birdwatching.

To read more about this grant and the work of the Wolf River Conservancy we are pleased to share with you the following links from other media outlets.

WREG - Channel 3 (CBS affiliate), 8/2/22: Wolf River Conservancy awarded $1 million federal grant

ABC - Local 24, 8/2/22: Wolf River Conservancy receives $1 million for wetlands conservation

WMC - Channel 5 (NBC affiliate), 8/5/22: Wolf River Conservancy awarded $1M for wetland preservation  

Memphis Flyer, 8/9/22: Wolf River Conservancy receives $1 million NAWCA Grant  

The Wolf River Conservancy staff and board appreciate all the support from you, our volunteers and donors. You all are part of this success!