Watershed Conservation Center Restores West Fork of the White River
The Watershed Conservation Resource Center, in partnership with the city of Fayetteville, is conducting a large-scale restoration project to improve the health of the West Fork of the White River. The center has acquired 460 acres of contiguous land near Drake Field, which includes areas previously degraded and neglected. This ambitious project aims to reclaim and transform the area into a thriving natural habitat.
The restoration efforts involve a range of strategies to recover the area’s native ecosystem. Seasonal control burns are used to eradicate invasive pasture grasses, allowing native prairie species to flourish once more. The team is also clearing invasive plants and shrubs and installing riparian plants and native trees in greenhouses, which will help filter out sediments and agricultural chemicals from the water. Perhaps most notably, an abandoned illegal dirt mine is being converted into a 25-acre wetland pond, further enhancing the property’s biodiversity and ecological potential.
The Impact on Local Wildlife
The project’s effect on local wildlife is already evident. The wetland pond, home to blooming water lilies, now serves as a breeding ground for endangered redwing blackbirds. Habitat heterogeneity has increased significantly, thanks to the active presence of beavers, native snakes, frogs, prairie lizards, and turtles. These changes also promise to bring in new species and enhance the overall flow of the river.
A Multicultural Outreach
The center also prioritizes community engagement and cultural recognition. In a recent gathering, the local Osage Nation was honored through a speech by Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, who highlighted the historical significance of the property. The park’s restoration reflects not only its ecological importance but also the cultural history that spans from the Osage people to Euro-American settlers who employed enslaved African Americans to work the land.
Recognition and Funding
Efforts at the West Fork of the White River have gained national recognition. The project’s success has been largely due to the collaborative efforts of the Watershed Conservation Resource Center, the Beaver Watershed Alliance, the Beaver Water District, and the Arkansas Water Resources Center. The center is now seeking financial support to complete the site’s full restoration and the construction of the River Commons and Institute, a premier eco-cultural training hub that will share the importance of environmental protection with the community.
