The Oxbow Group, LLC, owned by Eddie Briggs, contains approximately 207 acres. It is located within the Big Black River Drainage Basin and bordered to the north by Bear Creek, a principal tributary of the Big Black River. Bear Creek provides a substantial portion of the stormwater drainage from the central and northern parts of the country.
The Oxbow Group property has a diverse ecological complex. There is bottomland hardwood forest, loblolly pine, open field/wildlife food plots, a bottomland hardwood reforestation/restoration area, and a cemetery with grave markers from the 1800s.
The mixed bottomland hardwood forest is adjacent to and includes the riparian zones along Bear Creek and its tributaries. The open field/wildlife food plot areas are next to the mixed bottomland hardwoods and loblolly forests so that they enhance the management flexibility and diversity of the property.
The bottomland hardwood reforestation/restoration area is an example of the rich habitat diversity within the easement area. This area which was planted in row crops and small grains, was left fallow and allowed to propagate naturally with native species, primarily loblolly pine and various oaks.
The property has diverse plant and animal life. There are good populations of white-tailed deer and wild turkey on the property. Both resident wildlife and migratory waterfowl are available to hunt.
The streams that intersect the Oxbow Group property drain into the Big Black River. This river supports two state-listed mussel species, pyramid pigtoe, and rabbitfoot.
Success Stories
Read through the stories of 12 landowners and the success that the conservation easements had.
Nash Buckingham’s Beaver Dam was a duck club organized in 1882. It was the property of the Owen family. Nash Buckingham, a renowned and well-loved outdoor writer, frequented Beaver Dam. The conservation easement is approximately 159 acres in the historic Mississippi River Alluvial Floodplain in Tunica County. Tunica County is mostly agricultural, producing cotton, corn,
The Caulk Island property is in the southeast portion of Desha County, Arkansas, on the east side (Mississippi Side) of the Mississippi River and the unprotected (batture) side of the Mississippi River mainline levee system. Lake Whittington forms part of the boundary of the island. This lake, formerly Bolivar Bend, was cut off from the
Coles Creek Land and Timber Company is located approximately 10 miles north of Natchez, Mississippi. This 1,355-acre tract is in a strategic area of the Mississippi Flyway. About 500 acres were reforested to bottomland hardwoods in 2001. Coles Creek’s owners strive to provide diverse habitat types to ensure the needs of all animals, not just
The Dead Tiger Mitigation Bank was organized to compensate for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits for unavoidable negative impacts to wetlands and streams. The bank is located within the buffer zone of the Stennis Space Center. The buffer zone restricts residential and commercial development, which will aid the bank’s long-term success. This mitigation bank
The late Grey Ferris of Vicksburg donated a 2,114-acre conservation easement with bottomland hardwoods and a small portion of pasture. The Mississippi Land Trust and Ferris negotiated the conservation easement terms together. This binding agreement prohibits any development not compatible with a relatively natural preserve. The property’s roads, walking paths, and a small shed can