We will celebrate and conserve the unique natural beauty and rich history of the wilderness, recreation lands, working farms and forests, parks, and wildlife habitat in the 650,000-acre area from the River to the famous Chickasaw Bluffs.  Corridor landowners and neighbors will become partners in our goal to conserve the best through voluntary conservation of land.

Corridor Overview

The special mystique, the almost mythical quality, of the Mississippi River springs from its unique attributes that are both cultural and natural. It is a river of stories and legends known and loved by people throughout the world. Images of barefoot boys floating down river on rafts . . . riverboats full of hopeful settlers looking for a new home in a New World . . . the haunting notes of the Blues . . . distant reverberations of Civil War cannon . . . super-human efforts to stem the rising tide of the river in flood . . . the struggle for freedom and human rights . . . All are part of the river’s special mystique.

The Mississippi is an incredibly rich and diverse natural environment. Its wetlands, bottomland forests, oxbow lakes, canebrakes and sandbars comprise an internationally significant wetland ecosystem that provide habitat for millions of birds as they make their annual migrations along the great Mississippi Flyway. During the winter months, hundreds of thousands of ducks and geese can be found in protected wetland areas. White-tailed deer and wild turkey are common in the forested areas, and sightings of river otter, osprey or bald eagle are not uncommon. In addition, the river contains the most productive freshwater fish habitat in North America.

In Tennessee, in spite of various national and state initiatives, we have not yet succeeded in creating ways for people to access and truly experience our stretch of the Mississippi River. Few people have access to the exhilarating experience of plying the fast-moving waters of the Mississippi in a small boat. Difficult to find are the recreational opportunities within the rich, fertile valley that spreads out between the river and the Chickasaw bluffs. And almost inaccessible are the bluffs themselves, which provide splendid views of the river and valley.

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Therefore, our project objectives include:

• Provide opportunities to experience the world-class qualities of the Mississippi River
• Provide access to the broad overviews of the river and valley from the Chickasaw bluffs
• Conserve the scenic, natural, and rural landscape of the corridor
• Protect and enhance wildlife habitat
• Present opportunities for life-time learning about wildlife and the natural world
• Provide high-quality recreational opportunities, including auto touring, biking, hiking and walking, boating, flying, bird-watching, fishing and hunting
• Provide authentic and memorable hospitality that will draw visitors to the corridor again and again
• Promote and market the corridor
• Assure enduring fulfillment of the project mission and objectives through a strong corridor management structure.

Land Conservation and Recreation

Our Steering Committee will identify and then conserve those pieces of land that are critical to the implementation and success of the project. Priorities will be based on creating access to the river and its many special sites and amenities located within the corridor area while preserving and maintaining the natural integrity of the corridor and its many habitats. If land is not conserved that contains the best scenic views, or if land is not conserved that contains or lies adjacent to the most important historical and cultural sites, then the goals of the project cannot be achieved.  Hence, selection and prioritization of land sites is crucial.

How are we working?  Through community forums, we are learning all we can about the Mississippi River Corridor while we determine what people want to do along the River and what amenities are needed to provide these opportunities.  From this, we are creating a preliminary master plan for the Corridor.  Our plan will not be a static document, sitting on a shelf, but instead city and county partners and conservation organizations are encouraged to: Act while we plan.   

Here’s how: First, we are creating a land conservation and recreation committee consisting of those people who know the River Corridor best from each county along its length in Tennessee.  Broad, divergent interests will be recruited to participate – birders to farmers to sportsmen and other outdoor enthusiasts. 

Committee members will meet and learn together about our wonderful Corridor and its many attributes so that all potential uses and benefits are considered.  Additionally, other regional and national “models” will be considered to stimulate ideas.  

Additionally, using accumulated data and maps from the conservation and/or scientific community in Tennessee, and an inventory and description of existing public lands, the committee will share what we have learned about the wonders of the Corridor while continuing to collect information from nearby Corridor neighbors and friends.  Then the committee will seek public suggestions and ideas from local residents through public forums to determine what people want to do in the Corridor and where they want to do it. 

With this community input and support, a plan for the Corridor will be developed to include facilities and amenities for 10 destinations sites, the mid-corridor, world-class complex, a route for the byway, the identification of next 10 sites, identification of lands needed for critical habitat or scenic destinations and views, and over-arching design principals.

Through ongoing committee meetings, members will recruit potential partners and determine conservation priorities, develop conservation tools and strategies and identify local funding sources to implement this plan.

The Steering Committee will prioritize amenities needed for high-quality recreational opportunities, including auto touring, biking, hiking, walking, boating, flying, bird-watching, fishing, hunting, and land acquisitions necessary to accomplish this goal. We  will strive to create authentic and memorable opportunities for life-time learning about wildlife and the natural world that will draw visitors to the Corridor again and again.

Finally, the Committee will help develop a strong Corridor management plan that optimizes public use and enjoyment of the River environs while protecting the wildlife and other critical natural resources.

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Conservation Category – Website Links:

Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation
State of Tennessee Environment
Habitat Management - TN
Tennessee Clean Water Network
Tennessee Wildlife Federation
The Conservation Fund
Tennessee Environmental Council
American Rivers Organization
Sierra Club
The Land Trust for Tennessee
The Wolf River Conservancy
National Audubon Society
Ducks Unlimited
The Nature Conservancy
Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation
Park Friends, Inc.
Shelby Farms Park Conservancy
Greater Memphis Greenline Organization

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