The Wolf River Conservancy (WRC) was founded in 1985 when a group of volunteers came together to successfully oppose a new gravel mine along the Wolf River near Summer Avenue in Memphis. Afterwards, these volunteers chartered the Wolf River Conservancy as a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement Wolf River lands for muscle-powered recreation and education. The founding members had a vision of the Wolf River as a future greenway and wildlife corridor through the city, protected from the kind of degradation suffered by waterways such as Nonconnah Creek in south Memphis.

Since 1985, the Wolf River Conservancy has expanded its mission, its staff, its resources, and its membership. It has helped to protect 18,000 acres in the Wolf River corridor, including the beautiful Ghost River State Natural Area, launched the transformational Wolf River Greenway project, and connected thousands of people of all ages to the Wolf River through education and recreation programs. Its vision includes the protection and enhancement of the entire Wolf River floodplain, from its origins at Baker’s Pond in North Mississippi to its confluence with the Mississippi River in Memphis, thereby providing a recreation and wildlife corridor of over 90 miles while protecting critical aquifer recharge areas for public drinking water.

At critical times in the history of the Wolf River Conservancy, its members have provided the grassroots activism and support necessary to get the job done. These dedicated and enthusiastic members, along with numerous partnerships with other non-profits, businesses, local, state and national government agencies, are largely responsible for the success of the Wolf River Conservancy for over 25 years.  We invite you to read the stories behind some of the Wolf River Conservancy's most notable accomplishments through the years by using the links below:

The Ghost River Rescue 

The Wolf River Greenway

The Wolf River Restoration Project

The Wolf River Conservancy Education Program

The Wolf River Conservancy Collection at the Memphis Public Library