Save the Date:
Greenways & Byways: A Regional Forum for Success
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
9:00am - 4:00pm
Mud Island/River Terrace
For more information, read the Newsletter
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tennessee Photographer John Guider’s Journey, The River Inside, opens at the Mississippi River Museum on Mud Island River Park - Memphis
Memphis, TN, June 9. 2009 – Tennessee photographer John Guider stepped into his 16-foot canoe on Spencer Creek in Williamson County five years ago and began his journey down the Harpeth, Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio rivers, paddling toward the mighty Mississippi and his final destination of New Orleans. The River Inside, which opens at the Mississippi River Museum on July 20th, tells the story of Guider’s solo journey through the camera’s eye. The opening Reception for the exhibition will be held on Friday, August 7th at River Terrace on Mud Island at the Memphis riverfront. The event will run from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.
Guider, who completed the upper portions of the Mississippi in three subsequent solo canoe trips taken from 2005 to 2007, captured more than 10,000 scenes of America’s waterways on film during his trips. He then selected and processed just 75 platinum prints representative of the people and places he encountered along the way. The images offer a revealing perspective on the natural and controlled inland waterways that bisect the nation.
In a journal he kept chronicling his daily routine, Guider recorded the life he observed along the riverbanks and the details of what he felt were narrow escapes from life-threatening situations.
He often paddled eight to 10 hours a day and was sometimes alone for five to six days at a time; the quiet, almost haunting solitude of Guider’s journeys are vividly evident in the resulting photographs. Artifacts from the trips, along with his canoe, river maps, and camera equipment will also be included in the exhibition.
The exhibit’s title, The River Inside, which was drawn from the importance of rivers as prime conduits of vital commodities, and as overlooked by-ways, speaks to the resonance between life-sustaining water sources and human beings.
A book authored by Guider, which shares the same title — The River Inside, will be available for purchase during the exhibition. Published by Tennessee’s FRP Books, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwestern/Great American, Inc. and designed by McNeely, Pigott & Fox Public Relations, Guider’s book is a compelling narrative of his life-changing journey, as well as a work of art, with high-impact photographs and graphics. With a cast of colorful characters, a series of near-deadly mishaps, a respect for the Mississippi as a wonder of nature and of commerce, and the wit and wisdom of a true poet, The River Inside is a one-of-a-kind tale with an important message: To paraphrase T.S. Eliot, “The seas are around us, but the river is in us.
Guider, whose photography is in the corporate collections of Broadcast Music, Inc., Dollar General, Opryland Hotel, Vanderbilt Hospital, and Warner Brothers, earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University and studied photography under the tutelage of Hasselblad Foundation International Photography award winner Ernst Haas and International Center of Photography Affinity Award winner Jay Maisel. His images have been exhibited at the Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Red Mountain Museum of Art, The Parthenon, the Nashville Public Library, Nashville International Airport, as well as at many area galleries.
The exhibition will be on view through October 31st at the Mississippi River Museum on Mud Island River Park. Hours are 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The Museum is closed on Mondays.
General admission to the Park is free but the Museum admission (which includes roundtrip Monorail Ride and Guided River Walk tour) is $ 8.00 for adults and $ 5.00 for youths (5-11). Children under 4 and under are free.
John Guider’s photography from the The River Inside:
Boy Fishing from a Harbor Tug Mooring Shed,
Mississippi River near Natchez, MS
Robert, Deckhand on the Harbor Tug Marjorie, near Natchez, MS
Canoe at River's Edge, Sunset along the Mississippi River
Guider, who completed the upper portions of the Mississippi in three subsequent solo canoe trips taken from 2005 to 2007, captured more than 10,000 scenes of America’s waterways on film during his trips. He then selected and processed just 75 platinum prints representative of the people and places he encountered along the way. The images offer a revealing perspective on the natural and controlled inland waterways that bisect the nation.
In a journal he kept chronicling his daily routine, Guider recorded the life he observed along the riverbanks and the details of what he felt were narrow escapes from life-threatening situations.
He often paddled eight to 10 hours a day and was sometimes alone for five to six days at a time; the quiet, almost haunting solitude of Guider’s journeys are vividly evident in the resulting photographs. Artifacts from the trips, along with his canoe, river maps, and camera equipment will also be included in the exhibition.
The exhibit’s title, The River Inside, which was drawn from the importance of rivers as prime conduits of vital commodities, and as overlooked by-ways, speaks to the resonance between life-sustaining water sources and human beings.
A book authored by Guider, which shares the same title — The River Inside, will be available for purchase during the exhibition. Published by Tennessee’s FRP Books, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwestern/Great American, Inc. and designed by McNeely, Pigott & Fox Public Relations, Guider’s book is a compelling narrative of his life-changing journey, as well as a work of art, with high-impact photographs and graphics. With a cast of colorful characters, a series of near-deadly mishaps, a respect for the Mississippi as a wonder of nature and of commerce, and the wit and wisdom of a true poet, The River Inside is a one-of-a-kind tale with an important message: To paraphrase T.S. Eliot, “The seas are around us, but the river is in us.
Guider, whose photography is in the corporate collections of Broadcast Music, Inc., Dollar General, Opryland Hotel, Vanderbilt Hospital, and Warner Brothers, earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University and studied photography under the tutelage of Hasselblad Foundation International Photography award winner Ernst Haas and International Center of Photography Affinity Award winner Jay Maisel. His images have been exhibited at the Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Red Mountain Museum of Art, The Parthenon, the Nashville Public Library, Nashville International Airport, as well as at many area galleries.
The River Inside is proudly sponsored by
AT&T
Memphis Riverfront Development Corporation, Bass, Berry & Sims
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and
Tennessee Valley Authority
The exhibition is organized by the Tennessee State Museum and sponsored by the Mississippi River Corridor - Tennessee
AT&T
Memphis Riverfront Development Corporation, Bass, Berry & Sims
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and
Tennessee Valley Authority
The exhibition is organized by the Tennessee State Museum and sponsored by the Mississippi River Corridor - Tennessee
The exhibition will be on view through October 31st at the Mississippi River Museum on Mud Island River Park. Hours are 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The Museum is closed on Mondays.
General admission to the Park is free but the Museum admission (which includes roundtrip Monorail Ride and Guided River Walk tour) is $ 8.00 for adults and $ 5.00 for youths (5-11). Children under 4 and under are free.
A Teachers Workshop will be held in August and student tours will run weekly during the exhibition tour in Memphis.
John Guider’s photography from the The River Inside:
Boy Fishing from a Harbor Tug Mooring Shed,Mississippi River near Natchez, MS
Robert, Deckhand on the Harbor Tug Marjorie, near Natchez, MS
Canoe at River's Edge, Sunset along the Mississippi River Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Ten Things You Can Do for the Mississippi River
The Mississippi River flows through many aspects of our lives and we all share a responsibility to protect it. America’s Greatest River is an economic engine for our state’s tourism, agriculture and industry, a vital home for wildlife, an important source of drinking water for 20 million people, and a place for families and recreation. Our greatest authors, musicians, and explorers have been inspired by its power. But sometimes, even a river this powerful needs help.
Today, the once mighty Mississippi River is vulnerable and needs our protection from pollution, overdevelopment and local neglect. Fortunately, it’s not too late to make a difference. You can do your part by choosing just one thing below to help protect our Mississippi River.
Join a River Cleanup
Nearly every Mississippi River community holds an annual river cleanup. Besides being good for the River, cleanups are fun, often with free food and live music. You'll meet other river lovers, introduce kids to river stewardship and spend a day in nature. Give something back to the River and your local community by joining like-minded volunteers who are working to improve and protect the Mississippi River for the residents and families of our next generation.
Get Your Lawn off Drugs
Avoid using costly and dangerous chemical fertilizers and pesticides in your yard and garden. These chemicals, which are often over-used, are carried in run-off from rain and sprinkler water into local storm drains, which may pour into the Mississippi River and its streams and wetlands.
Buy Organic, Locally-Grown Produce
When you buy organic, locally-grown produce, you’re playing a key role in reducing the leading source of pollution in the Mississippi River: fertilizer. In addition to supporting your local economy, organically-grown foods are a great choice for your family because they taste great and don’t rely on the phosphorous and nitrogen-based chemicals that pollute the waters and kill off fish and other aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico.
Act Locally
Is your city putting off improving its sewer system? Is it filling in wetlands to build an industrial park? Does a local business have a lot of hazardous waste accidents and spills? In many communities, just a couple of persistent citizens can motivate local officials to do a better job. Speak up and demand that polluters and others who threaten the River’s health be held accountable. Ask for clean water protections for you, your family and your community.
Respect the Storm Sewers
Storm water is a major contributor to water pollution in the Mississippi River and its many watersheds. Household waste, from pets and garden chemicals to automobiles and street litter, are carried into our community storm sewers by rain and snowmelt. Although each storm sewer drain contributes just a small amount of pollution, there can be thousands of such sewer inlets around your community! These storm sewers often drain untreated waste water into local streams, rivers and wetlands. You can help reduce storm water pollution by never pouring paints, oils, and other chemical wastes down the sewers and by committing to keeping a drugfree lawn.
Landscape with Native Plants and Trees
The Mississippi River region is home to an endless supply of beautiful native plants, flowers and trees. When you choose native plants for your lawn and garden, you not only save yourself money and trouble, you also help to reduce flood levels in your community. Native plants are accustomed to our local soil types, weather patterns, pests and diseases. Not only are they beautiful to look at, they support our wildlife and natural systems of flood control.
Support River Access
Parks, gardens and recreational trails beautify our communities and, when properly managed, help protect the Mississippi River. Green spaces filled with native trees and plants and managed with limited chemical fertilizers and pesticides provide homes for wildlife, clean our air, and help maintain our underground water resources. River trails, boat launches and other access points bring added value and tourism dollars to our communities.
Get to Know Your River
Never been to your nearby riverside park? Pack a picnic and your kids, grandkids or neighbors and head out to explore America’s Greatest River at your doorstep! Sign up for a canoe trip and have fun identifying waterfowl and other wildlife. Visit an interpretive nature center or join other families at a community riverside event. Research your town’s historic River connections and discover why the Mississippi River is an important part of your community and family heritage.
Be a River Citizen in your Community
If you love the Mississippi River, don’t be shy. Tell your friends, neighbors and elected officials that the Mississippi River is important to you. You can make a difference.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Earth Day Harbor Clean-Up
Join us for an Earth Day Harbor Clean-Up!
Where: Cobblestones at the Memphis Riverfront - Riverside Dr. at Monroe - next to Jefferson Davis Park
When: Saturday, April 25, 2009 @ 9 a.m.*
At NOON all volunteers are invited to join us for an Earth Day Celebration Lunch.
Earth Day Harbor Clean-Up is a collaborative effort to clean-up the downtown riverfront organized by The Mississippi River Corridor - TN (MRCT), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Clean Memphis, Comcast Cares, Friends for Our Riverfront, The Sierra Club and Riverfront Development Corporation. Interested volunteers should sign up via our Facebook event page or email janet@cleanmemphis.org to sign-up.
Volunteers will meet at the cobblestones adjacent to Jefferson Davis Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2009 to commence trash pick-up. Bags and gloves will be provided by the City of Memphis Division of Public Works; however, it is also recommended that volunteers bring a pair of gloves in the event that we have more volunteers than gloves. Complimentary water and assorted sodas will be provided by Pepsi America.
*Rain date: Sunday, April 26th 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Cobblestones at the Memphis Riverfront - Riverside Dr. at Monroe - next to Jefferson Davis Park
When: Saturday, April 25, 2009 @ 9 a.m.*
At NOON all volunteers are invited to join us for an Earth Day Celebration Lunch.
Earth Day Harbor Clean-Up is a collaborative effort to clean-up the downtown riverfront organized by The Mississippi River Corridor - TN (MRCT), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Clean Memphis, Comcast Cares, Friends for Our Riverfront, The Sierra Club and Riverfront Development Corporation. Interested volunteers should sign up via our Facebook event page or email janet@cleanmemphis.org to sign-up.
Volunteers will meet at the cobblestones adjacent to Jefferson Davis Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2009 to commence trash pick-up. Bags and gloves will be provided by the City of Memphis Division of Public Works; however, it is also recommended that volunteers bring a pair of gloves in the event that we have more volunteers than gloves. Complimentary water and assorted sodas will be provided by Pepsi America.
*Rain date: Sunday, April 26th 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The History and Culture of City Parks, Urban Greenspaces and Urban Planning: A Workshop
The History and Culture of City Parks, Urban Greenspaces and Urban Planning:
A Workshop
Culminating in a round table discussion of Memphis's Greenspace Heritage and its Future
7 April 2009
4:00-7:30 PM
Ballroom, Bryan Campus Life Center
Contact: Michael Leslie
Tel.: 901 843 3715; leslie@rhodes.edu
A Workshop
Culminating in a round table discussion of Memphis's Greenspace Heritage and its Future
7 April 2009
4:00-7:30 PM
Ballroom, Bryan Campus Life Center
Contact: Michael Leslie
Tel.: 901 843 3715; leslie@rhodes.edu
The aim of this workshop is to set our contemporary and local debates over green spaces in Memphis and Shelby County in the context of two centuries of debate over environmental protection and urban planning.
Overton Park and the Memphis Parkway system, planned by George Kessler, were designed explicitly with an eye to F.L. Olmsted’s famous New York developments of Central Park and Prospect Park. But the Olmsted parks were not just objects of beauty: Olmsted was passionately convinced that such green spaces contributed both to the social cohesiveness and fairness of a modern urban society and to the health of urban populations.
His ideas for urban parks were formed as a result of his travels in Britain and Europe, in particular by his experience of Birkenhead Park, in Northern England. Designed by the great engineer Joseph Paxton and opened in 1847, Olmsted considered that Birkenhead Park achieved a democratisation of urban experience and produced significant health benefits for one of the 19th century’s great industrial cities.
Paxton was an innovator, but he too inherits a dynamic tradition of urban planning and sanitation reform from the 18th century. Birkenhead Park draws from the new towns of Edinburgh and Bath. The creation and maintenance of green spaces are an urgent concern from the very moment at which rapid urbanisation and industrialisation emerged in the western world.
Speakers
Dr. Rosemary (Roey) Sweet
Professor of Urban History and Director of the Centre for Urban History, University of Leicester
Author of The Writing of Urban Histories in Eighteenth-century England (Oxford Historical Monographs) (1997); The English Town, 1680-1840: Government, Society and Culture (Themes In British Social History) (1999); Women and Urban Life in Eighteenth-century England: On the Town (2003); and Antiquaries: The Discovery of the Past in Eighteenth Century Britain (2004) (among much more)
Dr. Roey Sweet will survey examples of polite spaces in newly-urbanising 18th-century Britain, revealing intellectual underpinnings that range from enthusiasm for Druids through to a recognition of the need for open space and traffic management in the battle against disease, appalling living conditions, and the moral failings of the poor. Dr Sweet will also caution against taking overly seriously many of these assertions of noble motives, pointing out that the creation of open spaces also contributed to the enhancement of property values and the attraction of an elite population.
Dr. Katy Layton Jones
Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London, and the University of Leicester
Author of Places of Health and Amusement: Liverpool's Historic Parks and Gardens (Informed Conservation) (2008)
Dr Katy Layton-Jones will carry the story into Britain’s famous 19th-century parks movement. Throughout the late 18th and 19th centuries, the British landscape was transformed by industrialisation, urbanisation and suburbanisation. This physical transformation of space was accompanied by a conceptual one, through which existing notions of public and private, rural and urban, were reappraised and challenged. Central to this process of redefining and reshaping the British landscape, was the ‘creation’ or designation of public green space in the form of walks, cemeteries, and perhaps most importantly, municipal parks. This paper will look at how the process of creating public green space, the designs of influential figures such as Joseph Paxton and Edward Kemp, and representations of the finished landscapes, all contributed to a re-conceptualisation of the British urban realm in the long 19th century.
Dr. Michael Leslie
Rhodes College
'Birkenhead Park, Frederick Law Olmsted, Central Park, and the Design Brief for Overton Park'
Dr. Michael Leslie will briefly document the influence of these 18th and 19th-century urban green space developments on the most important urban landscape designer in American history, Frederick Law Olmsted, the principal designer of both Central Park and Prospect Park in New York and the creator of urban parkway systems. He will point to the continuation of many of the themes identified by Drs. Sweet and Layton-Jones in American urban space creation, not least in the Tennessee example of Memphis’s Parkways and Overton Park, designed by one of Olmsted’s disciples, George Kessler.
Refreshments
Roundtable
Participants expected to include Jimmy Ogle (Citizens to Preserve Overton Park), Lauren Taylor (Hyde Foundation), Diana Threadgill (Mississippi River Corridor - TN), Ritchie Smith and Lissa Thompson (Ritchie Smith and Associates).
Mud Island River Park Input Needed
Do you have ideas for how Mud Island could be better utilized for the public? If so, please attend one of the Public Meetings and give your input!
Public meeting schedule:
Mar. 23 (Mon.) - Mud Island River Park Harbor Landing, 101 Island Dr.
Mar. 24 (Tues.) - Raleigh United Methodist Church, 3295 Powers Rd.
Mar. 31 (Tues.) - Whitehaven Community Center Gym, 4318 Graceland Dr.
Apr. 2 (Thurs.) - Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd.
All of the meetings are from 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm.
Whether or not you are able to attend the public meetings, please be sure to also fill out the RDC survey for the Land Use Study for Mud Island.
Public meeting schedule:
Mar. 23 (Mon.) - Mud Island River Park Harbor Landing, 101 Island Dr.
Mar. 24 (Tues.) - Raleigh United Methodist Church, 3295 Powers Rd.
Mar. 31 (Tues.) - Whitehaven Community Center Gym, 4318 Graceland Dr.
Apr. 2 (Thurs.) - Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd.
All of the meetings are from 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm.
Whether or not you are able to attend the public meetings, please be sure to also fill out the RDC survey for the Land Use Study for Mud Island.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Save the Date - April 25th!
The Mississippi River Corridor - Tennessee is partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Clean Memphis, Sierra Club and Friends for our Riverfront to organize a clean-up of our Mississippi River/Harbor in downtown Memphis on Saturday, April 25, 2009.
We invite you to spend a few hours helping us with this important task on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Please mark your calendars, and stay tuned for additional information.
Thank you!
We invite you to spend a few hours helping us with this important task on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Please mark your calendars, and stay tuned for additional information.
Thank you!
Monday, March 9, 2009
URBANEXUS Memphis
Another Memphis event to attend after Memphis 101.
Memphis
The Salon: The New Face of Civic Engagement
Thursday, March 19th 2009 6:00pm
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
926 McLemore Avenue, Memphis
Join Next American City for their URBANEXUS salon on the role of civic engagement in moving Memphis forward. Join seven local representatives - Eric Matthews of Launch Memphis, Dr. Charlie Santo of Coalition for Livable Communities, Tim Sampson of Stax Museum, John Weeden of UrbanArt, Cardell Orrin of New Path, Derwin Sisnett of NDCC Power Center and Gwyn Fisher of MPACT Memphis - as each presenter uses 4 slides per minute for 4 minutes to share how their organizations are making creative approaches toward civic engagement. An audience Q&A and reception will immediately follow the presentations.
Admission is free.
Presented by Next American City.
Sponsored by:
Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning & Development
MPACT Memphis
Sustainable Shelby
In Partnership With:
Urban Land Institute
Coalition for Livable Communities
Community Development Council
Memphis
The Salon: The New Face of Civic Engagement
Thursday, March 19th 2009 6:00pm
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
926 McLemore Avenue, Memphis
Join Next American City for their URBANEXUS salon on the role of civic engagement in moving Memphis forward. Join seven local representatives - Eric Matthews of Launch Memphis, Dr. Charlie Santo of Coalition for Livable Communities, Tim Sampson of Stax Museum, John Weeden of UrbanArt, Cardell Orrin of New Path, Derwin Sisnett of NDCC Power Center and Gwyn Fisher of MPACT Memphis - as each presenter uses 4 slides per minute for 4 minutes to share how their organizations are making creative approaches toward civic engagement. An audience Q&A and reception will immediately follow the presentations.
Admission is free.
Presented by Next American City.
Sponsored by:
Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning & Development
MPACT Memphis
Sustainable Shelby
In Partnership With:
Urban Land Institute
Coalition for Livable Communities
Community Development Council
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Leadership Academy - Memphis 101
At the MRCT we are always happy to share information about groups and activities which portray our city and region in a positive light, so we wanted to make sure you knew about this event:
MEMPHIS 101
get to really know this town
Mayor AC Wharton, Featured Speaker. Larry Jensen, Special Presentation.
Candid, compelling, enlightening, Memphis 101*, sponsored by First Tennessee Foundation as part of the Celebrate What's Right series, is an interactive crash course in Memphis culture, people and politics. Join The Leadership Academy as we offer a fresh perspective into our city's personality. All are welcome! There is no charge for this event but we do need your RSVP. (Subsequent Memphis 101s will be for a fee unless participating in MemphisConnect.)
March 19th, from 3:00-5:00pm
Second Presbyterian Church
4055 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111
RSVP Didi Crandall, at dcrandall@leadershipacademy.org or 901.527.4625, ext. 10.
*Developed and owned by archer>malmo, the largest marketing and communications firm in Tennessee, Memphis 101 is licensed to The Leadership Academy on an exclusive basis.
MemphisConnect. Building a better Memphis. Recruiting and Retaining Talent.
MEMPHIS 101
get to really know this town
Mayor AC Wharton, Featured Speaker. Larry Jensen, Special Presentation.
Candid, compelling, enlightening, Memphis 101*, sponsored by First Tennessee Foundation as part of the Celebrate What's Right series, is an interactive crash course in Memphis culture, people and politics. Join The Leadership Academy as we offer a fresh perspective into our city's personality. All are welcome! There is no charge for this event but we do need your RSVP. (Subsequent Memphis 101s will be for a fee unless participating in MemphisConnect.)
March 19th, from 3:00-5:00pm
Second Presbyterian Church
4055 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111
RSVP Didi Crandall, at dcrandall@leadershipacademy.org or 901.527.4625, ext. 10.
*Developed and owned by archer>malmo, the largest marketing and communications firm in Tennessee, Memphis 101 is licensed to The Leadership Academy on an exclusive basis.
MemphisConnect. Building a better Memphis. Recruiting and Retaining Talent.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Ghost River Rentals
How can you get out and paddle the Mississippi River? If you'd like to rent a kayak and a guide, read about Ghost River Rentals below.
Mark Babb and Don Hailey started Ghost River Rentals in 2007. Mark is a physical fitness and outdoor enthusiast who grew up boating and camping on the Mississippi River with his father and brothers. He worked several years on Mississippi River Towboats and was a licensed Towboat Pilot. Also a sailor, he has explored all of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Barrier Islands on a seventeen foot catamaran. As a paddler he has explored over 100 miles of Mississippi River, Wolf River from LaGrange to Memphis, Horn Island and many others. Don is also a lifelong physical fitness and outdoor enthusiast. He is a PADI certified Rescue Diver, holds a Commercial Pilots license (non-active), and is an avid Harley rider. As a paddler he has explored many miles of the Mississippi and Wolf Rivers, as well as an overnight trip to Horn Island. Mark Babb & Don Hailey are both career Firefigher Paramedics with over 30 years combined experience in Emergency Services, so safety is never a worry when touring the rivers with these two.
Most of their kayak/canoe trips are Wolf River focused due to demand, but when interviewing Mark, he mentioned that he would love to see more of a demand for Mississippi River excursions, and would offer weekly tours if the demand increased. When asked why he thought there was less demand for paddling the Mississippi River he stated that many people feel it is not safe to paddle because of the strong current and scary reputation. Education and safety are the keys to overcoming these fears, and as long as the river is respected, paddling it can be especially rewarding. While Ghost River Rentals offers guided tours of both the Wolf and Mississippi Rivers, he recommends contacting Outdoors Inc. (www.outdoorsinc.com) or Memphis Whitewater (www.memphiswhitewater.com) for courses on kayaking technique for those who wish to become kayakers on their own.
Bluff homes overlooking the river and Mud Island are creating new demand for and interest in the river, instead of just seeing it as dangerous and polluted. He also mentioned that he personally feels safer on a kayak than a power boat on the river, because if the motor goes on the power boat, you're stranded, but with a kayak, you have more control over the situation. His personal (and experienced) preference for kayaking the Mississippi is a 17’ sit-in touring kayak.
For additional information on Wolf River excursions and pricing, please visit their website at www.ghostriverrentals.com or contact them via email ghostriverrentals@yahoo.com or telephone: 901-485-1220. Their Mississippi River excursion prices are not on the website, but were quoted at prices of $45/boat and $100/guide. There is a minimum requirement of 6 boats and typically 2 guides for more inexperienced paddlers to book a Mississippi River excursion. The boats they use for the Mississippi River are sit-on-top kayaks which have no spray skirts nor require any bail-out if cap-sized and they float and can be flipped back over for ease of use. Their most requested Mississippi River excursion is the all day float from Meeman-Shelby Forest to downtown Memphis, and they also offer sunset floats where they launch from the north side of Mud Island, paddle across the river to Loosahatchie Bar and then back to Mud Island around the south bend and into the Wolf River Harbor. He stated that these trips would be much easier with better access to the river, because he believes the Auction Street boat ramp is currently closed, and he has been turned away from the Mud Island Marina in the past. So, be a part of the demand, and let's ensure we all have access to our river. For those who are interested in a more robust experience including camping, they also offer the chance to kayak the river from Golddust, TN (in Lauderdale County) to an end point of either Memphis, TN or Tunica, MS.
Mark Babb and Don Hailey started Ghost River Rentals in 2007. Mark is a physical fitness and outdoor enthusiast who grew up boating and camping on the Mississippi River with his father and brothers. He worked several years on Mississippi River Towboats and was a licensed Towboat Pilot. Also a sailor, he has explored all of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Barrier Islands on a seventeen foot catamaran. As a paddler he has explored over 100 miles of Mississippi River, Wolf River from LaGrange to Memphis, Horn Island and many others. Don is also a lifelong physical fitness and outdoor enthusiast. He is a PADI certified Rescue Diver, holds a Commercial Pilots license (non-active), and is an avid Harley rider. As a paddler he has explored many miles of the Mississippi and Wolf Rivers, as well as an overnight trip to Horn Island. Mark Babb & Don Hailey are both career Firefigher Paramedics with over 30 years combined experience in Emergency Services, so safety is never a worry when touring the rivers with these two.
Most of their kayak/canoe trips are Wolf River focused due to demand, but when interviewing Mark, he mentioned that he would love to see more of a demand for Mississippi River excursions, and would offer weekly tours if the demand increased. When asked why he thought there was less demand for paddling the Mississippi River he stated that many people feel it is not safe to paddle because of the strong current and scary reputation. Education and safety are the keys to overcoming these fears, and as long as the river is respected, paddling it can be especially rewarding. While Ghost River Rentals offers guided tours of both the Wolf and Mississippi Rivers, he recommends contacting Outdoors Inc. (www.outdoorsinc.com) or Memphis Whitewater (www.memphiswhitewater.com) for courses on kayaking technique for those who wish to become kayakers on their own.
Bluff homes overlooking the river and Mud Island are creating new demand for and interest in the river, instead of just seeing it as dangerous and polluted. He also mentioned that he personally feels safer on a kayak than a power boat on the river, because if the motor goes on the power boat, you're stranded, but with a kayak, you have more control over the situation. His personal (and experienced) preference for kayaking the Mississippi is a 17’ sit-in touring kayak.
For additional information on Wolf River excursions and pricing, please visit their website at www.ghostriverrentals.com or contact them via email ghostriverrentals@yahoo.com or telephone: 901-485-1220. Their Mississippi River excursion prices are not on the website, but were quoted at prices of $45/boat and $100/guide. There is a minimum requirement of 6 boats and typically 2 guides for more inexperienced paddlers to book a Mississippi River excursion. The boats they use for the Mississippi River are sit-on-top kayaks which have no spray skirts nor require any bail-out if cap-sized and they float and can be flipped back over for ease of use. Their most requested Mississippi River excursion is the all day float from Meeman-Shelby Forest to downtown Memphis, and they also offer sunset floats where they launch from the north side of Mud Island, paddle across the river to Loosahatchie Bar and then back to Mud Island around the south bend and into the Wolf River Harbor. He stated that these trips would be much easier with better access to the river, because he believes the Auction Street boat ramp is currently closed, and he has been turned away from the Mud Island Marina in the past. So, be a part of the demand, and let's ensure we all have access to our river. For those who are interested in a more robust experience including camping, they also offer the chance to kayak the river from Golddust, TN (in Lauderdale County) to an end point of either Memphis, TN or Tunica, MS.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
2009 Greenways & Trails Forum
2009 Greenways & Trails Forum
"Connect with Tennessee"
Thursday, April 2, 2009 – Saturday, April 4, 2009*
D.P. Culp University Center
East TN State University
Johnson City, TN
Featured Forum Speaker: Dan Burden
*See PDF brochure or visit their website for a detailed schedule of events and additional information.
Dan Burden is a nationally recognized authority on bicycle and pedestrian facilities and programs, livable communities, healthy streets, traffic calming, and other design and planning elements that affect roadway environments. Time Magazine recently listed Dan as "one of the six most important civic innovators in the world." The Transportation Research Board (National Academy of Sciences) honored Dan by making him their Distinguished Lecturer in 2001, the national Smart Growth Coalition awarded Dan its first Lifetime Achievement Award and the League of American Bicyclists lists Dan as "one of the 25 most significant leaders in bicycling for the past 100 years."
Experience: Dan has thirty years of experience in the livable communities field. He served for 16 years as Florida DOT's first State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. This program became a model for other statewide programs. In 1996, Dan founded Walkable Communities, Inc. This nonprofit group has been assisting North American communities to become more walkable. Then in 2005, Dan and Walkable Communities joined Glatting Jackson, where Dan now works as a Principal and Senior Urban Designer. Glatting Jackson is a firm recognized for its excellence in livable communities design and innovative urban transportation planning and design services.
Method: In the past 11 years Dan has personally photographed and examined walking, bicycling and transportation conditions in over 2,500 cities in the U.S. and abroad. He worked as a bicycle consultant in China for the United Nations in 1994, and he has also worked in Australia, Canada, the Caribbean and many European countries. His pictures have been published in such diverse publications as the National Geographic, New York Times, Better Homes and Gardens, Sierra Club and Weekly Reader. Presentations given by Dan are always richly illustrated with examples from near and far. Dan's visual, information-rich workshops, with National Geographic quality images, showcase the most modern and best ways to plan and design better streets, town centers, and neighborhoods. Today many state and national organizations select Dan as either a featured or keynote speaker for their annual conferences.
Goal: Dan uses his experience and photography to teach people to speak one common language; his goal is to bring many professions closer together, to retool and rebuild for present and future urban living. Common professions and groups that learn to speak one universal community building language include the following: engineering, planning, health, development, placemaking, architecture, advocacy, historic preservation, and landscape architecture. Designs that incorporate this process lead to highly engaging activity centers, prosperous business districts, quiet, pleasant, well connected neighborhoods, and great waterfronts, parks, trails and open spaces with an emphasis on people and active living.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wolf River Boardwalk Hikes
Boardwalk Hikes this Saturday, February 7, at 10:00 a.m.
Please join Allan Trently, a state biologist, on two Boardwalk Hikes w/The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of Natural Areas. TDEC Biologist Allan Trently will lead two, short guided hikes on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the William B. Clark and the Ghost River Natural Areas in Fayette County. Participants should meet at 10 a.m. in the parking lot at the William Clark Preserve located about one mile north of Rossville on State Highway 194.
The first hike will begin at the 460-acre William B. Clark conservation area, which features a 1,600-foot interpretive boardwalk that meanders through bald, cypress-water tupelo forest in the Wolf River. Participants will then drive approximately 10 miles to the Ghost River State Natural Area situated just outside of LaGrange. While at this 2,220-acre natural area, hikers will walk along the 600-foot boardwalk that crosses through a very scenic stretch of the Ghost River section of the Wolf River.
Both hikes will be guided by the Division's Stewardship Ecologist Allan Trently, who will interpret the ecology of the natural areas, which occur along un-channelized reaches of the Wolf River. A variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats along the boardwalks offer opportunities for observing snakes, turtles, amphibians, beavers, wading birds and aquatic vegetation. Participants can expect to see cypress knees protruding from the moist forest floor and shallow water.
"The Wolf River and its sloughs provide excellent habitat for rare and endangered freshwater mussels and other aquatic organisms," Trently said. "Additionally, the Ghost River Natural Area includes other ecologically significant uplands and sandy hills adjacent to the floodplain."
Reservations are required for the guided hikes and can be made by contacting Allan Trently by phone at (731) 512-1369 or by e-mail at allan.trently@state.tn.us by Feb. 6. For directions to the William B. Clark Natural Area, please visit: www.tn.gov/environment/na/natareas/wbclark.
Please join Allan Trently, a state biologist, on two Boardwalk Hikes w/The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of Natural Areas. TDEC Biologist Allan Trently will lead two, short guided hikes on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the William B. Clark and the Ghost River Natural Areas in Fayette County. Participants should meet at 10 a.m. in the parking lot at the William Clark Preserve located about one mile north of Rossville on State Highway 194.
The first hike will begin at the 460-acre William B. Clark conservation area, which features a 1,600-foot interpretive boardwalk that meanders through bald, cypress-water tupelo forest in the Wolf River. Participants will then drive approximately 10 miles to the Ghost River State Natural Area situated just outside of LaGrange. While at this 2,220-acre natural area, hikers will walk along the 600-foot boardwalk that crosses through a very scenic stretch of the Ghost River section of the Wolf River.
Both hikes will be guided by the Division's Stewardship Ecologist Allan Trently, who will interpret the ecology of the natural areas, which occur along un-channelized reaches of the Wolf River. A variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats along the boardwalks offer opportunities for observing snakes, turtles, amphibians, beavers, wading birds and aquatic vegetation. Participants can expect to see cypress knees protruding from the moist forest floor and shallow water.
"The Wolf River and its sloughs provide excellent habitat for rare and endangered freshwater mussels and other aquatic organisms," Trently said. "Additionally, the Ghost River Natural Area includes other ecologically significant uplands and sandy hills adjacent to the floodplain."
Reservations are required for the guided hikes and can be made by contacting Allan Trently by phone at (731) 512-1369 or by e-mail at allan.trently@state.tn.us by Feb. 6. For directions to the William B. Clark Natural Area, please visit: www.tn.gov/environment/na/natareas/wbclark.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Recreation on the Mississippi River
One of the projects we are working on here at the MRCT is a proposed Blueway on the Mississippi River between Meeman-Shelby Forest and downtown Memphis. We hope to encourage additional recreation on our mighty river and believe that the more we foster recreation on and access to our river, the more our community will grow to love and care for our river, because there is work to be done to make it cleaner and healthier. Please read the article run in today's Commercial Appeal about our proposed Blueway.
We had a trial run of regular folk kayaking down the Blueway back in 2007 for our Paddle & Float event, and great fun was had by all.
We even had a catered picnic lunch on Hickman Bar, which is a beautiful sandy beach along the river with excellent camping potential.
Joe Royer and Outdoors Inc. has been a pioneer and an incredible force in advocating a recreation river for us here in Memphis & west Tennessee. Every year Outdoors Inc. has a Canoe & Kayak Race on the downtown portion of the Mississippi River, and they celebrated their 27th year last May!
If water sports are not for you, there are also opportunities for walking and bicycling along our river.
Outdoors Inc. produces a Cyclocross race annually for those who enjoy a more challenging bicycle race.
And the Mississippi River Bicycle Trail extends along the entire western coast of the river in West Tennessee with beautiful bluff vistas available to enjoy along the way.
Chickasaw Bluff No. 2 - GPS Coordinates: N 35° 30.539’ W 089° 54.375’
Chickasaw Bluff No. 1 - GPS Coordinates: N 35° 37.047’ W 089° 52.961’
Researchers from Illinois and Wisconsin have paddled past our port in order to study the health of the river (see our blog post with the details of that expedition)...
...and photographers such as John Guider have paddled the river to document its mighty nature and unabashed romantic allure. Stay tuned for more information, as we are bringing his incredible photo exhibit to Mud Island this spring!
Now get out there and enjoy our Mississippi River!
We had a trial run of regular folk kayaking down the Blueway back in 2007 for our Paddle & Float event, and great fun was had by all.
We even had a catered picnic lunch on Hickman Bar, which is a beautiful sandy beach along the river with excellent camping potential.
Joe Royer and Outdoors Inc. has been a pioneer and an incredible force in advocating a recreation river for us here in Memphis & west Tennessee. Every year Outdoors Inc. has a Canoe & Kayak Race on the downtown portion of the Mississippi River, and they celebrated their 27th year last May!
If water sports are not for you, there are also opportunities for walking and bicycling along our river.
Outdoors Inc. produces a Cyclocross race annually for those who enjoy a more challenging bicycle race.
And the Mississippi River Bicycle Trail extends along the entire western coast of the river in West Tennessee with beautiful bluff vistas available to enjoy along the way.
Chickasaw Bluff No. 2 - GPS Coordinates: N 35° 30.539’ W 089° 54.375’
Chickasaw Bluff No. 1 - GPS Coordinates: N 35° 37.047’ W 089° 52.961’
Researchers from Illinois and Wisconsin have paddled past our port in order to study the health of the river (see our blog post with the details of that expedition)...
...and photographers such as John Guider have paddled the river to document its mighty nature and unabashed romantic allure. Stay tuned for more information, as we are bringing his incredible photo exhibit to Mud Island this spring!
Now get out there and enjoy our Mississippi River!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Loosahatchie Bar
Congratulations!
Every once in a while, we like to congratulate and showcase one of our Partners in a significant accomplishment for our great river and the Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee.
This month we've chosen The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee and their recent completion of the Loosahatchie Bar Conservation Project. Directed by Dr. Ron Nassar, in consultation with the Memphis District Corps of Engineers, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and several federal, state and private sector partners, this project is part of a landscape-scale conservation plan – "Restoring America's Greatest River."
Location
Loosahatchie Bar, located in two counties in two states (Shelby County, Tennessee and Crittenden County, Arkansas), is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River directly across from the city of Memphis.
History
In the 1960s it became necessary for the Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct rock dikes to divert flow from Loosahatchie Bar back to the river to maintain a safe navigation channel.
Sedimentation has increased within the Loosahatchie Bar, causing the loss of aquatic habitat and restricting the passage of fish through the area.
Although parts of the channel have a water depth of 10 feet during the spring and early summer, much of the area often dries completely later in the year.
Conservation Success and Benefits
In the fall of 2008, the LMRCC constructed 12 notches in eight of the stone dikes, and restored the flow of the Mississippi River through more than 11 miles of the Loosahatchie Bar.
The project will benefit the Least Tern, Pallid Sturgeon and Fat Pocketbook Mussel, which are federally endangered species found in the area, as well as improve habitat for recreationally and commercially important fish species.
Revitalizing the Lower Mississippi River ecosystem and providing outdoor recreational opportunities will improve our quality of life in the Memphis region. It will also promote nature-based tourism, one of the fastest growing segments in both the international and national tourism industries, which provide an economic stimulus of $2 Billion/Day worldwide.
The project will also restore aquatic habitat for wetland-dependent birds using the Mississippi Flyway migration corridor and provide additional opportunities for conservation education.
Our great thanks go to our valued partners, The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee, for their wonderful work in conservation and restoration of the Lower Mississippi River.
Every once in a while, we like to congratulate and showcase one of our Partners in a significant accomplishment for our great river and the Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee.
This month we've chosen The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee and their recent completion of the Loosahatchie Bar Conservation Project. Directed by Dr. Ron Nassar, in consultation with the Memphis District Corps of Engineers, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and several federal, state and private sector partners, this project is part of a landscape-scale conservation plan – "Restoring America's Greatest River."
Location
Loosahatchie Bar, located in two counties in two states (Shelby County, Tennessee and Crittenden County, Arkansas), is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River directly across from the city of Memphis.
History
In the 1960s it became necessary for the Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct rock dikes to divert flow from Loosahatchie Bar back to the river to maintain a safe navigation channel.
Sedimentation has increased within the Loosahatchie Bar, causing the loss of aquatic habitat and restricting the passage of fish through the area.
Although parts of the channel have a water depth of 10 feet during the spring and early summer, much of the area often dries completely later in the year.
Conservation Success and Benefits
In the fall of 2008, the LMRCC constructed 12 notches in eight of the stone dikes, and restored the flow of the Mississippi River through more than 11 miles of the Loosahatchie Bar.
The project will benefit the Least Tern, Pallid Sturgeon and Fat Pocketbook Mussel, which are federally endangered species found in the area, as well as improve habitat for recreationally and commercially important fish species.
Revitalizing the Lower Mississippi River ecosystem and providing outdoor recreational opportunities will improve our quality of life in the Memphis region. It will also promote nature-based tourism, one of the fastest growing segments in both the international and national tourism industries, which provide an economic stimulus of $2 Billion/Day worldwide.
The project will also restore aquatic habitat for wetland-dependent birds using the Mississippi Flyway migration corridor and provide additional opportunities for conservation education.
Our great thanks go to our valued partners, The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee, for their wonderful work in conservation and restoration of the Lower Mississippi River.
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