Description
Miller County Sandhills Natural Area is one of the few remaining sandhill sites in Arkansas. The sand was deposited along the ancient Gulf of Mexico shoreline over 150 million years ago by rivers flowing from the Ouachita Mountains. The deep sands create a dry, drought-prone habitat composed of sparse, open-grown oak trees and grass. Miller County Sandhills Natural Area harbors several rare plants specially adapted to the areas of deepest sands. Beautiful spring wildflower displays peak in early June.
Size
184 acres. Includes property owned by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and The Nature Conservancy, and additional land under conservation management.
Why TNC Selected This Site
Miller County Sandhills Natural Area is considered the largest and best example known in Arkansas of the Northeast Texas sandhill woodland/sand barrens community.
Prior to protection as a natural area, many of the old trees had been removed. Part of the site was cultivated and grazed, and a portion was planted in loblolly pine. These past disturbances changed the structure of the sandhill plant community; however, the original components of the community remained.
What TNC Is Doing
Fire has been reintroduced as an important ecological process in maintaining the naturally occurring sandhill structure and species. Miller County Sandhills Natural Area is recovering from past disturbances, with young bluejack and margaretta oaks growing throughout the site and the understory supporting grasses and forbs typical of the sandhill community. Ecological restoration is ongoing.