December 2021: A Message from Our Director

Dear Wolf River Conservancy friend,

The Wolf River Conservancy’s unwavering commitment to land conservation benefits over one million people who live in the Mid-South area. This is what drives us to do more to serve the public good.

Over 18,500 acres of forests and wetlands in the Wolf River watershed, including over 550 acres this year alone, have been protected forever – for you, for our neighbors, for our region and for generations to come. While most of the Conservancy’s work does not make front-page news, we remain steadfast in our mission to secure protections on land to safeguard the long-term viability of our critical underground drinking water source, the Memphis Sand Aquifer.

Because of you and your generous support, the Wolf River Conservancy, as an accredited land trust, remains committed and focused on our mission. We know how critical it is to preserve our woods, water, and wildlife. This is the heart of our work.

In 2021, the Conservancy has successfully met the challenge to:

Conserve forests and wetlands for 36 years and counting: Forests and wetlands like the 144-acre property that the Conservancy brokered as a donation to T.O. Fuller State Park in South Memphis. Forest and wetlands like the 220 acres of rolling sand hills abutting already protected Wolf River wetlands that the Conservancy is partnering with The Conservation Fund to secure. Forests and wetlands that act both as a carbon sink, thus reducing human impact, and as a natural filtration system for our drinking water.

• Educate our community – virtually and in-person: Through field trips, lectures, classroom programs, workshops, and service projects, we provide indoor and outdoor educational opportunities for community members of all ages, serving nearly 2,500 people in 2021. The Conservancy is helping to create the conservation leaders of tomorrow.‍
• Launch free community programs along the Wolf River Greenway: Connections were forged between neighbors as Mid-Southerners from 21 zip codes participated in our community programming. The Conservancy hosted over 70 programs, including guided educational nature walks, lake paddling and exercise classes – all located along different sections of the Wolf River Greenway.

Our work is only possible with the help of dedicated citizens like you. Would you please consider an additional year-end gift to continue our work to protect and preserve the Wolf River now and for future generations?

If you have recently made a  financial gift we want to “Thank You!”.  We are grateful for your continued support.

Keith Cole
Executive Director