(The Center Square) – More than 5,400 acres in west Tennessee will open as the state’s 16th forest in 2025, the Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry said.
The nearly $17 million project is funded by the federal Inflation Reduction Act, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency’s Wetlands Funds, the Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, The Conservation Fund, and the property’s seller, according to information from the department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The new forest will be called Wolf River State Forest, as it is located on the river in Fayette County. The site is part of the Ames Plantation, known for hosting the National Championship for Bird Dogs.
The project conserves 30 miles of streams and 1,560 acres of wetlands, which will help “ensure water quality for Memphis drinking water, fisheries, and others downstream,” the department said. The new forest is about 60 miles east of Memphis. The Memphis Sand Aquifer provides drinking water for 2.8 million people, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Plans include opportunities for wildlife activities including hunting and fishing. Forty-five state-registered historical sites documenting the lives of the more than 800 enslaved people who once lived there are also on the property, according to the department.
“This property holds great historical, cultural, and archeological significance, as well as long-term forest research plots, and exceptional hardwood forestland,” said State Forester Heather Slayton. “Under our management, we will keep this forest as a forest, conserve and steward its extensive natural and cultural resources, facilitate the continuation of research and conservation education at the site, and support the local wood products industry.”
The property is currently being surveyed in anticipation of opening next year, according to the department.
The Conservation Fund partnered with the state to advance the project, according to a news release.
“The property has tremendous environmental, economic, scientific, and cultural value,” The Conservation Fund’s Tennessee State Director Zachary Lesch-Huie said. “Protecting it as a state forest will ensure it keeps delivering that value for the people of West Tennessee.”
Part of the funding is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Legacy program. The department awarded nearly $544 million to 63 projects in 2024, according to its website.
