In celebration of our 50th anniversary, we asked ANHC staff to tell us about their favorite natural areas. Below is their list -- we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did.
Baker Prairie Natural Area
Leslie Patrick, Outreach Specialist
“I have visited Baker Prairie Natural Area throughout the seasons, and there is always an abundance of wildflowers in bloom, and always something rare to see, like Ozark trillium in spring, royal catch-fly in summer, or downy gentian in fall. Catching a sunset on the prairie is also a special treat.”
Cove Creek Natural Area
Kevin Krajcir, Grants Coordinator
“Some of my formative days as a naturalist were spent learning about plants and birds at Cove Creek Natural Area. Plus, the overlook there is an amazing spot to sit and soak up the scenery.”
Devil’s Eyebrow Natural Area
Emily Roberts, Habitat Coordinator
“There’s always something new to find at Devil’s Eyebrow, but you’re definitely going to have to work to find it, and that makes the discoveries even sweeter.”
Devil’s Knob-Devil’s Backbone Natural Area
Brian Mitchell, Stewardship Coordinator
“It’s a really cool feature and has a variety of ecological communities. It’s also the only public land in Izard County and, in my opinion, the trail that we installed there is the best in the System of Natural Areas.”
Healing Springs Natural Area
Dustin Lynch, Aquatic Ecologist
“Healing Springs Natural Area is home to two of the rarest fish species in the state, Least Darter (Etheostoma microperca) and Arkansas Darter (Etheostoma cragini) as well as many other rare aquatic species, including rare aquatic and burrowing crayfish. This Natural Area is one of the state’s most important sites for aquatic biodiversity, and the only Natural Area whose acquisition was driven by the presence of rare fish. It is special to me because it is one of the more recent additions to the System of Natural Areas and I was part of the process of seeing it conserved.”
Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area
Theo Witsell, Chief of Research and Inventory
“Middle Fork Barrens is one of the most ecologically unique sites in Arkansas and includes several globally rare natural communities collectively referred to as “Ouachita Mountain Shale Barrens”. Two of the communities there (seasonally wet shale barrens and shale flatwoods) are so rare they were unknown and undescribed when they were first found in the early 2000s. It is home to more than 700 plant species including several that are globally rare and one that I described and named in 2005 and that is known only from Saline County and nowhere else on Earth.”
Michael Conway, GIS/Database Analyst
“When I first started with ANHC I went with Theo and Patrick to Middle Fork Barrens. Theo told us about glade habitat, it was very cool.”
Miranda Patterson, Land Management Specialist
“The glades in the Springtime are stunning and were the start of my love for glades. And the water there is always delightful and teeming with life.”
Railroad Prairie Natural Area
Ryan Spotts, Chief of Acquisition and Stewardship
“Railroad Prairie is an island of color and life surrounded by agriculture and concrete.”
Terre Noire Natural Area
Corey Saunders, Land Management Specialist
“I enjoy how diverse the area is from the open prairies to the wooded bottoms down by the drainages. The explosion of flowers out there early in the summer Is stunning.”
Warren Prairie Natural Area
Bill Holimon, Director
“The mosaic of many different habitats, particularly rare ones such as the saline barrens that support wintering grassland bird species of conservation concern, make this a really interesting site. The barrens also support numerous rare plant species and the surrounding pine-oak woodlands once again support the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis) thanks to years of successful habitat restoration.”
Wittsburg Natural Area
Jessica Landrum, Land Management Specialist
“It's such an unusual and unique place, such is Crowley’s Ridge. It reminds me of the Ozark mountains but just on a smaller scale. The creek beds are also interesting and give insight to a different geologic time.”
Baker Prairie Natural Area
Leslie Patrick, Outreach Specialist
“I have visited Baker Prairie Natural Area throughout the seasons, and there is always an abundance of wildflowers in bloom, and always something rare to see, like Ozark trillium in spring, royal catch-fly in summer, or downy gentian in fall. Catching a sunset on the prairie is also a special treat.”
Cove Creek Natural Area
Kevin Krajcir, Grants Coordinator
“Some of my formative days as a naturalist were spent learning about plants and birds at Cove Creek Natural Area. Plus, the overlook there is an amazing spot to sit and soak up the scenery.”
Devil’s Eyebrow Natural Area
Emily Roberts, Habitat Coordinator
“There’s always something new to find at Devil’s Eyebrow, but you’re definitely going to have to work to find it, and that makes the discoveries even sweeter.”
Devil’s Knob-Devil’s Backbone Natural Area
Brian Mitchell, Stewardship Coordinator
“It’s a really cool feature and has a variety of ecological communities. It’s also the only public land in Izard County and, in my opinion, the trail that we installed there is the best in the System of Natural Areas.”
Healing Springs Natural Area
Dustin Lynch, Aquatic Ecologist
“Healing Springs Natural Area is home to two of the rarest fish species in the state, Least Darter (Etheostoma microperca) and Arkansas Darter (Etheostoma cragini) as well as many other rare aquatic species, including rare aquatic and burrowing crayfish. This Natural Area is one of the state’s most important sites for aquatic biodiversity, and the only Natural Area whose acquisition was driven by the presence of rare fish. It is special to me because it is one of the more recent additions to the System of Natural Areas and I was part of the process of seeing it conserved.”
Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area
Theo Witsell, Chief of Research and Inventory
“Middle Fork Barrens is one of the most ecologically unique sites in Arkansas and includes several globally rare natural communities collectively referred to as “Ouachita Mountain Shale Barrens”. Two of the communities there (seasonally wet shale barrens and shale flatwoods) are so rare they were unknown and undescribed when they were first found in the early 2000s. It is home to more than 700 plant species including several that are globally rare and one that I described and named in 2005 and that is known only from Saline County and nowhere else on Earth.”
Michael Conway, GIS/Database Analyst
“When I first started with ANHC I went with Theo and Patrick to Middle Fork Barrens. Theo told us about glade habitat, it was very cool.”
Miranda Patterson, Land Management Specialist
“The glades in the Springtime are stunning and were the start of my love for glades. And the water there is always delightful and teeming with life.”
Railroad Prairie Natural Area
Ryan Spotts, Chief of Acquisition and Stewardship
“Railroad Prairie is an island of color and life surrounded by agriculture and concrete.”
Terre Noire Natural Area
Corey Saunders, Land Management Specialist
“I enjoy how diverse the area is from the open prairies to the wooded bottoms down by the drainages. The explosion of flowers out there early in the summer Is stunning.”
Warren Prairie Natural Area
Bill Holimon, Director
“The mosaic of many different habitats, particularly rare ones such as the saline barrens that support wintering grassland bird species of conservation concern, make this a really interesting site. The barrens also support numerous rare plant species and the surrounding pine-oak woodlands once again support the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis) thanks to years of successful habitat restoration.”
Wittsburg Natural Area
Jessica Landrum, Land Management Specialist
“It's such an unusual and unique place, such is Crowley’s Ridge. It reminds me of the Ozark mountains but just on a smaller scale. The creek beds are also interesting and give insight to a different geologic time.”