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Land donation from Cooper Communities benefits Saline River

Spring 2008

On May 8, 123 forested acres along the Middle Fork of the Saline River will be dedicated as one of The Nature Conservancy’s newest preserves. The preserve, located within Hot Springs Village, was donated by Cooper Communities of Rogers, Ark.  It follows two miles of the Middle Fork and will benefit aquatic and terrestrial wildlife as well as people who live in the area, said Joy DeClerk, the Conservancy’s Ouachita Rivers project manager.

The Middle Fork of the Saline River alongside the new preserve (c) TNC The Middle Fork of the Saline River alongside the new preserve (c) TNC

“There are several mussel beds along this stretch of river, including beds with endangered Arkansas fatmucket mussels,” DeClerk said. “The Saline is a special river, one with an amazing diversity of aquatic life, including the Ouachita madtom (Noturus lachneri), a fish found only in Ouachita Mountain streams.”

Conservancy field studies over the past several years have shown that a variety of land-use practices are increasing sediment in the Saline River. The forested riverbanks on the Cooper land, DeClerk said, are extremely important to maintaining the river’s health. 

The preserve is less than a mile from the Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area, which is owned and managed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.

John Cooper III, president of Cooper Communities, said the donation is of special value to his family. His late grandfather, John A. Cooper, founded the company as well as Hot Springs Village. The Conservancy plans to name the site the John A. and Mildred B. Cooper Nature Preserve in honor of John Cooper III’s grandparents.

“We felt this property was exceptional and would help maintain water quality in the Saline River,” said Cooper, who is a trustee for the Conservancy in Arkansas. “Because this land will never be developed, it will provide valuable green space for the citizens of Hot Springs Village. The Nature Conservancy has an excellent track record of conservation, and when we decided to donate the land, the organization, which has been working in Arkansas for 25 years, immediately came to mind.”

The property is the latest of several land donations the Cooper family has made to the Conservancy, which include two caves in Bella Vista.

“The Conservancy appreciates the Cooper family’s stewardship of these important natural areas, and we are excited about this latest donation,” said Scott Simon, director of the Conservancy in Arkansas.