The Mississippi River Corridor Project recently received a $9 million grant to assist in turning farmland back to wetlands.

There are two wetlands projects including the Inahgeh Wetlands project in Jackson, Union and Alexander counties and the Tanahkwe Project in Jackson and Monroe counties, Odegaard said.

Louise Odegaard, forest supervisor for the Shawnee National Forest, said the Inahgeh Project is comprised of 10,000-11,000 acres, and the Tanahkwe Project is comprised of a little over 3,700 acres.

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The project will involve planting trees and plants in an attempt to turn the land back to its natural state, Odegaard said.

The money comes from the Emergency Wetlands Reserve Program established after the 1993 floods to help the land recover from the floods and to prevent future flooding, Odegaard said.

I think it’s fantastic. I see it as a real opportunity to preserve (wetlands) along the Mississippi River. We’re not out to take the farmer’s land. They (the farmers) are only selling us marginal farmland. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Jim Wallace of the Resource Conservation and Development Area said project leaders are addressing public concerns including the loss of county tax, loss of drainage maintenance assessment, blocking of existing drainage system and the loss of farmland.

What we’re seeing here is an extremely cooperative effort, Wallace said.

Wallace said the project is an effort through three agencies:the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wiildlife Agency.

All persons involved in the project are willing to sell their land, Odegaard said. She said people are coming to the project leaders asking them about the project and signing up.

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Student Environmental Center representative, Holly Harris said, I think it’s top priority to leave the natural wetlands and restore the wetlands. That land isn’t suitable for farmland because of it’s tendency to flood.

Odegaard said the project is expected to take six to nine months.