Prior to settlement, Arkansas was marked by an expansive mosaic of
natural communities. In all, more than 40 different natural community
types occurred across Arkansas's landscape. Since
the 1800s, however, urban development, agriculture, fire suppression,
and the spread
of invasive plant species have destroyed or degraded
many of these diverse ecosystems.
The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC)
is charged with the responsibility of protecting the best of the last
remaining vestiges
of the state's natural communities. ANHC does this
through its System of Natural Areas. Natural areas are lands
specifically managed
to preserve, and sometimes restore, natural
communities that have become rare.
Natural areas are more than just a glimpse into
the past. What these areas ultimately can provide are blueprints for
understanding
how Arkansas's diverse ecosystems originally
functioned. Such information will be especially vital as Arkansas
continues to develop
and address important environmental issues into the
future.
The very concept of "natural areas" would seem to imply that these are
places that should be left untouched. The reality is often just the
opposite.
Today, many natural areas exist as "islands" of natural
habitat in a veritable "sea" of altered land. What happens, or in some
cases, does
not happen on surrounding lands can have a profound impact
on the ecological integrity of natural areas.
As a result, we cannot simply fence these lands in and walk away. Long-term viability of remnant natural communities requires science-based conservation
through active and sound management. In some cases, natural
areas must undergo restoration to improve their overall condition.
The System of Natural Areas encompasses a wide range of
natural communities and supports a rich diversity of animal and plant
species. To
protect these natural areas, management by the Arkansas
Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) is essential. Stewardship staff take
methodical
steps, based on sound scientific research, to restore
ecosystem functions and maintain or enhance habitat conditions required
to perpetuate
rare species and natural communities. Work activities are
conducted within the framework of a conservation vision and are guided
by management
plans specific to individual natural areas. Management plans
are updated in a five-year review cycle and incorporate research
findings and
the results of proactive land management practices.
The foundation of stewardship work includes routine
ground maintenance activities such as boundary demarcation, installation
of appropriate
signs, removal of trash, and establishing public access
points. Where appropriate, staff also apply a variety of techniques to
maintain or
restore a site's ecological integrity. These techniques
include non-native and/or invasive species control, timber stand
management and prescribed
burning.
Following its establishment in 1973, ANHC began to incorporate sites
into its System of Natural Areas. Singer Forest Natural Area was
Arkansas’s first natural area and was donated to
ANHC by the Singer Company in 1973. Roth Prairie, located in Arkansas
County, was
the first natural area purchased by ANHC. It was
acquired on July 23, 1976.
Data from the Arkansas Heritage Program has
enabled the commission to make choices based upon scientific data. Many
early acquisitions
concentrated on small tracts to protect habitats of
certain rare animals and plants. Near the White River in Stone County,
Hell Creek
Natural Area supports one of the only known
populations of the federally endangered Hell Creek crayfish (Cambarus zophonastes).
Warren
Prairie Natural Area was acquired in 1983 and is one
of only a handful of sites in the world where the federally threatened
plant geocarpon
(Geocarpon minimum) grows. The small parcel that started out as Warren Prairie Natural Area has now grown to more than 4,000 acres.
From the mid-1980s to the present, ANHC has focused
on larger and more complex projects. In 2010, conservation partnerships
with other
governmental agencies, non-profits, and private
industry advanced a large-scale conservation effort. Warren Prairie
Natural Area was
expanded when The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a
non-profit organization, sold 2,107 acres to ANHC. TNC initially
purchased the property
from Plum Creek Timber Company. ANHC's funding came
from a U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Grant administered by the
Arkansas Forestry
Commission. The grant, worth more than $2 million,
was matched by ANHC primarily through the Arkansas Natural and Cultural
Resources
Council, which is funded by the state’s real estate
transfer tax.
The site will remain a working forest, meaning
it will continue to provide local forestry jobs and forest products to
local mills.
The Commission will work with Plum Creek Timber
Company, which once owned the land, and with TNC and contractors to
ecologically thin
overly dense pine stands at the property. Overly
dense forests prevent sunlight from reaching the ground, which results
in few plant
species on the forest floor and in turn affects
wildlife diversity and populations. Controlled burns will also be used
to restore dense
pine stands to open, natural timberlands with
abundant plant and wildlife diversity.
Another example of large-scale conservation
partnerships in action is Cossatot River State Park - Natural Area.
Managed cooperatively
with Arkansas State Parks (ASP), this 4,470-acre
natural area was acquired in 16 different transactions between 1987 and
1993. It protects
11 miles of the Cossatot River and the unique
communities found within an upland Ouachita Mountains stream. Because of
the cooperative
approach to managing this natural area, portions of
the area have been developed to enhance environmental education
opportunities and
public visitation.
Specific forms of hunting are allowed on some natural areas. A cooperative agreement between ANHC and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) incorporated certain natural areas into AGFC's Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system. Every effort has been made by AGFC to provide maximum opportunity, maintain safety, protect healthy wildlife populations, and adhere to the conservation values inherent to ANHC's System of Natural Areas. Natural areas that are also considered AGFC WMAs will receive the same level of attention from AGFC enforcement staff as do other WMAs. Consequently, all applicable hunting regulations will be enforced on natural areas where hunting is allowed. Please make yourself aware of current AGFC hunting regulations before visiting a natural area. You can download a PDF of the current Arkansas Hunting Guidebook.
The AGFC has created a General Use WMA Permit required of anyone who hunts, traps, fishes, or boats on a WMA. The permit is free and can be obtained at any licensed vendor, by calling 800-364-4263, or visiting online. More information about the new permit can be found here.
Below is a list of natural areas where hunting is permitted. Some natural areas have limited access, and it is the hunter's responsibility to obtain permission to access adjacent private landowner's property. Follow the natural area links below for directions and boundary and county locator maps. Please follow the WMA links (listed under each natural area) for specific hunting regulations, as the types of hunting allowed on each natural area varies.
Feral hogs have become a threat to land across the state, including properties within the System of Natural Areas. If you are interested in hunting feral hogs on natural areas, AGFC has developed special regulations for land in the WMA system. Visit the AGFC website for that information.