PROJECT FOCUS AREAS
HABITAT CONSERVATION
Wildlife Mississippi worked with the late U.S. Senator Thad Cochran and U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson in crafting the legislation that created the Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge, located approximately 25 miles southeast of Greenville on Collier’s former bear hunting grounds, covers 18,000 acres. It is the only refuge in the nation named for an African-American. Collier was born a slave in 1848 on Plum Ridge Plantation, which was built by General Thomas Hinds (Hinds County’s namesake), a veteran of the battle of New Orleans.
About Holt Collier
Collier killed his first bear at the age of 10. Thereafter, his job was to supply meat for the table at the plantation.
When the Civil War began, Hinds, his son, Tom, who was Collier’s childhood companion, and Collier left for the war. Collier stayed with the Hinds men until later being given the opportunity to ride with the 9th Texas Cavalry. Collier, who was also a Confederate sharpshooter and spy, had superb knowledge of the wilderness and his expertise in tracking game allowed him to become a professional hunter.
He guided President Theodore Roosevelt on a Delta bear hunt in 1902. Collier is buried in Live Oak Cemetery in Greenville.
Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge
Photo by Wildlife Mississippi
Holt Collier guided President Theodore Roosevelt on a Delta bear hunt in 1902
Photo credit unknown
Changes to the Lower Mississippi Valley
Much has changed since Collier’s time. In the early 1800s, bottomland hardwood forests dominated the Lower Mississippi Valley. Today, more than 75% of that forestland has been lost, primarily due to agriculture.
The Louisiana black bear was once common throughout the region. Until recently, the subspecies was listed under the Endangered Species Act. It was removed from the endangered list in 2016 because its population had recovered to a more sustainable level. The establishment and expansion of national wildlife refuges, along with the reforestation of private lands, helped the bear recover.
For its part, Wildlife Mississippi created a $1 million revolving loan fund to help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expand, improve access, and purchase in-holdings for national wildlife refuges in Mississippi. We work with the Service to identify tracts and purchase them with money from the revolving fund. The Service then reimburses Wildlife Mississippi for the cost of the land and those funds are placed back in the revolving fund.
