Now there’s another way to read Tennessee Connections online! Using ActiveMagazine technology, you can flip through the actual pages of the magazine on your computer screen.
Conservationist Protect Memphis Area’s Wolf River
The Wolf River Conservancy turns 25 in 2010, and what better way to celebrate the nonprofit conservation organization’s birthday than to kick off construction on the first section of the city of Memphis’ Wolf River Greenway Trail.
Since its founding in 1985, the Conservancy has helped protect many thousands of acres along the Wolf River, which carves a path from its headwaters in Mississippi’s Holly Springs National Forest northwest into Tennessee, flowing through Fayette and Shelby counties to its confluence with the Mississippi River near downtown Memphis. Native wildlife ranging from freshwater mussels to deer, mink, bobcat and wild turkey populate the river region’s multifaceted ecosystems, and indigenous tupelo gum, cypress and bottomland hardwood trees grow up from the soft alluvial soil.
The planned Wolf River Greenway will stretch the 90-mile length of the Wolf River and will contribute to the Conservancy’s mission to protect the wetlands, wildlife and Memphis Sands aquifer recharge area that lie within the Wolf River watershed.
Offering multiple uses including recreation, conservation, education, health and fitness, the green spaces also will connect and be integrated into diverse neighborhoods along the river corridor. Trails will provide walking, biking and paddling access.
In Memphis, the Wolf River Greenway will span 22 miles – from Mud Island to Houston Levee Road – and encompass more than 4,000 acres of unspoiled land nestled in the midst of the city like hidden treasure. A 10-foot wide multipurpose greenway trail, designed by Memphis-based ETI Corp., eventually will extend beyond the city to run the length of the Wolf River in Shelby County. It will link to trails in Germantown and Collierville and connect residents with Shelby Farms Park, the 8-mile long Wolf River Wildlife Area park in Collierville, and parks, neighborhoods and businesses up and down the greenway.
“This is a huge milestone,” says Steve Fleegal, chief executive officer of the Wolf River Conservancy. “The Conservancy has been working for many years to help plan and implement the greenway trail system. We were thrilled to see construction on Memphis’ trail begin in January.” The first 1.5-mile segment is slated for completion sometime this summer.
As for its many other accomplishments, in 1995, the Wolf River Conservancy and several partner agencies rescued the Ghost River section from development. This area subsequently became the Ghost River State Natural Area and the Wolf River Wildlife Management Area. A popular destination for paddlers, the Ghost River section of the Wolf includes braided channels and backwater sloughs that meander through bottomland hardwood forests, cypress-tupelo wetlands and open marshes between LaGrange and Moscow.
The Conservancy also worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other partners to launch a $12.8 million restoration project to stop rapid erosion – known as headcutting – at Collierville and to protect natural wetlands throughout Fayette County.
Overall, the Wolf River Conservancy’s recreation, conservation, education, outreach and advocacy programs have generated widespread public awareness of and support for the protection and preservation of the Wolf River floodplain.
Visit www.wolfriver.org for more information.
Story by Carol Cowan
People everywhere are realizing the importance of creating greenways in both urban and rural settings to enhance our collective quality of life and to be able to pass the treasures of scenic, unspoiled natural areas and open spaces on to future generations.
What are greenways?
• Often referred to as “linear parks,” greenways are corridors of protected space that typically follow natural features such as rivers or mountain ridges, or they may be established along old railroad lines or scenic roads.
• Greenways connect parks, neighborhoods, historic sites and natural areas within communities, and they connect communities with one another.
What is the difference between trails and greenways?
• Trails are paths that provide access to and within protected areas and can range from rugged, mulched footpaths to wide, paved bikeways. Greenways may or may not contain trails.
• Urban greenways tend to feature trails that support recreation and non-motorized transportation, while rural greenways may exist solely to protect wildlife habitat and water quality.
What are the benefits of greenways?
• In addition to preserving scenic areas, greenways protect forests and wildlife. They also improve air and water quality and prevent erosion.
• Greenways foster economic growth in communities, raising property values and attracting prospective companies and tourists.
• They provide environmentally friendly transportation routes and recreational opportunities, and also improve the health and fitness of users.
• Greenways are major educational resources.
Source: Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, www.tenngreen.com
