On Nov. 21, officials from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Arkansas Forestry Commission and the Conservancy announced they will purchase the easement from Potlatch Forest Holdings, Inc., on land the company owns in south Arkansas between Hampton and El Dorado. Covering about 16,000 acres, it will be the largest conservation easement ever established in Arkansas.
The partners signed an agreement for the Moro Big Pine project during the announcement and said they expect to close on the purchase by the end of the year. Scott Henderson, director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said his agency and the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission will manage public access and activities, including hunting, at the new Moro Big Pine Wildlife Management Area. The area is expected to open in July 2007.
"This is a great opportunity to create a wildlife management area in south Arkansas," Henderson said. "There is a long and rich heritage of hunting and other outdoor recreation in this part of the state. This deal is good for the people of Arkansas, good for wildlife and good for conservation."
"This is a ‘working forest’ conservation easement – one that allows for traditional forest uses, such as timber operations and hunting, that are both ecologically sustainable and economically viable."
Scott Henderson Director, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
As a condition of the easement, the project partners developed a forest management plan for the property that includes a wildlife section and guidelines for harvesting timber.
"This is a ‘working forest’ conservation easement—one that allows for traditional forest uses, such as timber operations and hunting, that are both ecologically sustainable and economically viable," Henderson said. "Basically, the forest will be managed in a way that continues to provide forestry jobs, wood products and also protects the environment for future generations of Arkansans."
Jim Newberry, Arkansas regional resource manager for Potlatch, said his company is proud to play a significant role in protecting Moro Big Pine’s loblolly-shortleaf pine flatwoods, one of the least-protected plant communities in the United States. The site also supports a population of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.
"This project ensures the land will remain forested, provide habitat for wildlife and be open to the public," said Scott Simon, director of The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. "This is a great conservation achievement made possible by the cooperation of state agencies, non-profit organizations and Potlatch."
The project is being funded by the state agency partners and the Conservancy, and will benefit from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council grant program. Federal funding is also being sought through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Legacy program and the Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition grant program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Working with our members and partners, The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 262,000 acres of critical natural lands in Arkansas.
How We Work: Conservation Easements Conservation easements are one of the most powerful, effective tools available for the permanent conservation of private lands in the United States. The use of conservation easements has successfully protected millions of acres of wildlife habitat and open space, keeping land in private hands and generating significant public benefits.
How We Work: Nature Conservancy Partnerships The Nature Conservancy pursues non-confrontational, pragmatic, market-based solutions to conservation challenges. This makes it essential for us to work collaboratively with partners—communities, businesses, government agencies, multilateral institutions, individuals and other non-profit organizations.
