Wildlife biologist Bob Ford is executive director of The Hatchie River Conservancy, a West Tennessee organization with the mission of conserving and sustaining the natural integrity and the scenic beauty of the Hatchie State Scenic River and its watershed. The Hatchie River is the longest free-flowing tributary of the lower Mississippi River; it harbors the largest forested floodplain remaining in Tennessee and is the only river in the state that is designated as a State Scenic River in its entirety. As Ford shares in this episode, many see the Hatchie as a restorative, soul-nourishing sanctuary—a sacred place to feel connected to something larger than themselves. It is an ancient, beautiful, biologically rich, uniquely wild river that courses its way through six counties in West Tennessee. Ford also shares a bit of the history of past efforts to protect the Hatchie along with conservation initiatives taking place today led by The Hatchie River Conservancy and others.

This episode is sponsored by Moustos Pasta & Grill.

Discover more:

• Want to explore the Hatchie River in a kayak? Visit Hatchie Happenings for details.
• Explore and learn more about the Hatchie River and the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge as you virtually float the river with Ford.
• Participants in Discovery Park’s chapter of the Tennessee Naturalist Program learn about nature in the state and gain an appreciation of responsible environmental stewardship and conservation of Tennessee’s natural resources. More information including how to sign up for the next classes can be found here.

This podcast episode is available online on Soundcloud, Castbox, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast platforms and apps.