Celebrating 1,273 Acres of Hatchie River Conservation Success

Tennessee (September 9, 2025) –In April 2025, TennGreen Land Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee, and The Conservation Fund joined forces to protect 1,273 acres of ecologically rich bottomland hardwood forest and wetlands along the Hatchie and Tuscumbia Rivers in McNairy and Hardeman counties. The conservation of this land is a milestone achievement in one of Tennessee’s most treasured and threatened river systems.

Late last fall, the Hatchie River Conservancy alerted TennGreen that the land was headed to auction in just two weeks. Time was of the essence. The tract, slated for sale in six parcels, each in separate auctions, was at risk of becoming permanently fragmented. Together with our partners, we negotiated a delay, secured an appraisal, made a direct offer, and successfully canceled the auction. On April 1, 2025, the property was officially acquired, funded in part by the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, and is now under the jurisdiction of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Because of this critical action by our conservation partnership, this landscape will soon become a publicly accessible Wildlife Management Area, providing not only critical habitat but also new opportunities for outdoor recreation in West Tennessee.

“The Hatchie River and its vast bottomland forests are a special and vital resource for West Tennessee,” said Zachary Lesch-Huie, Tennessee state director for The Conservation Fund. “This new wildlife management area provides opportunities for recreation and protects wetlands, forest, wildlife, and a rich, river ecosystem. The Conservation Fund, alongside our partners, are proud to play a key role in preserving this special part of Tennessee.” 

Why the Hatchie River?

Flowing freely through the hills and bottomlands of six Tennessee counties, the Hatchie River is the last unchanneled, free-flowing tributary of the lower Mississippi River. Its 238 miles wind through dense forests, canebrakes, and swamps, supporting an astonishing biodiversity.

The Hatchie is designated a Class I Natural River Area, the highest scenic river classification in the state. The river is also the only river in Tennessee with this designation applying to its entire length. Such recognition reflects the Hatchie’s exceptionally intact floodplain ecosystem, which serves as habitat for:

• Over 100 species of fish, including 11 species of catfish—possibly the most of any river in North America
• 50 species of mammals
• 35 species of freshwater mussels
• 250 species of birds, including critical habitat for migratory species
• Numerous reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, some of which are found nowhere else in Tennessee

Notably, the property also supports rare species such as the Eastern slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus longicaudus) and sits at the confluence of two important watersheds, which contain more than a dozen rare or endangered species combined.

“The Hatchie River is more than a river—it’s a living memory of what Tennessee’s waterways once were,” said Alice Hudson Pell, Executive Director of TennGreen. “This protection project preserves a rare ecological gem while ensuring that future generations can experience its wild beauty.”

A Gateway to Public Access and Outdoor Recreation

The new Wildlife Management Area will not only enhance ecological resilience but also expand recreation opportunities across the region. The property is adjacent to a publicly accessible boat ramp and contains over ten miles of river and stream frontage, giving all Tennesseans and visitors additional avenues for paddling, wildlife watching, nature photography, and environmental education.

“The Hatchie River is one of Tennessee’s last great wild rivers, and protecting it shows what strong partnerships can achieve,” said Laurel Creech, Tennessee State Director for The Nature Conservancy. “Public management will safeguard its biodiversity and open new opportunities for Tennesseans to enjoy this remarkable landscape for years to come.”

The property also borders Big Hill Pond State Park and falls within the state’s Hatchie River and Big Hill Pond Areas of Interest for conservation. The area offers a near-pristine view of West Tennessee’s historical and ecological landscape—one that remains largely unchanged for centuries.

“This project represents everything TennGreen stands for: collaboration, urgency, and care for Tennessee’s wild and working lands,” Hudson Pell added. “It is conservation that strengthens local economies, safeguards biodiversity, and expands access to nature.”

Win for Wildlife, Water, and People

This effort aligns with priorities laid out in the State Wildlife Action Plan, the Southeast Conservation Blueprint, The Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Plan, and TennGreen’s own Strategic Land Conservation Plan. The land is marked by state and national partners as highly resilient, well-connected, and rich in habitat diversity—characteristics that will help species and ecosystems thrive in a changing climate.

Additionally, conserving this land contributes to protecting the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which supplies clean drinking water to over 1 million West Tennessee residents. With increased development pressure, sedimentation, and habitat fragmentation threatening this region, strategic conservation like this is more necessary than ever.

Thank you to our partners for their swift conservation and collaboration, and here’s to many more successes along Tennessee’s world-class rivers.

TennGreen Land Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and the oldest accredited statewide land conservancy in Tennessee. TennGreen’s mission is to conserve land where people and nature can thrive. Through sound science and partnerships, TennGreen identifies and conserves land across Tennessee for wildlife corridors, critical habitat, and public benefit. TennGreen protects, cares for, and connects people with Tennessee’s natural world by providing meaningful outdoor experiences, establishing conservation easements, supporting restoration efforts, and acquiring (or assisting in the acquisition of) privately held land.

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners.

The Conservation Fund protects the land that sustains us all. We are in the business of conservation, creating innovative solutions that drive nature-based action in all 50 states for climate protection, vibrant communities and sustainable economies. We apply effective strategies, efficient financing approaches and enduring government, community and private partnerships to protect millions of acres of America’s natural land, cultural sites, recreation areas and working forests and farms.