During the last century, dramatic wetland losses have occurred in the forested wetlands of the Lower Mississippi Valley. The primary causes of these losses have been flood control projects, conversion to agricultural production and urban development. The Hatchie River watershed features some of the largest and most biologically diverse bottomland hardwood forests (BLH) in the southeastern US. These forests represent an important natural resource associated with stream and river floodplains. BLH forests within the Hatchie watershed support diverse plant and wildlife communities adapted to seasonally fluctuating water levels and provide a wide array of ecological benefits and services.
