How Is Northwest Arkansas Land Trust Saving Thousands of Acres?

With all the infrastructural development in Northwest Arkansas (NWA), the NWA Land Trust is proactively ensuring it does not turn into a concrete jungle. The organization commits to enhancing and protecting the quality of life in the metro. How are they doing this?

The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust is saving thousands of acres by carrying out permanent land protection for land it buys or receives as donations. It manages and preserves land to provide more outdoor spaces and prevent buildings or other developments from taking over the metro.

In this article, I’ll talk about Northwest Arkansas Land Trust, who they are, what they do, and why they are important. Read on to have all your questions answered.

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What Is the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust?

Let’s talk about one of my favorite topics—land. I’m a big proponent of land conservation. Like many of you, land is a resource I value because I use it a lot, whether hiking, running, biking, or performing other activities.

The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust is a non-profit organization in NWA. It’s known for taking in thousands and thousands of acres of land. In turn, they maintain these areas, ensuring that no other building or government entity will be on them.

One of the things people don’t know about NWA is that its people care about the outdoors. It’s a big part of the residents’ lives. Hence, it’s a good thing that organizations like the NWA exist to protect the land.

What Does the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust Do?

Organizations like the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust must exist for nature in cities to be preserved.

The NWA land trust protects not only land but also water and wildlife in the metro. They maintain native plants and grasses, among others. As they do so, they prevent buildings and other physical structures from occupying land they could otherwise preserve.

NWA, in general, not just the Land Trust, focuses on conserving land. They want to build areas people can enjoy instead of making a concrete landscape. Rather than filling spaces with roads and businesses, they want to preserve the land for something better — to create more outdoor areas for people to enjoy.

It’s safe to say that the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust is a piece of the pie that helps to create a more livable environment in NWA.

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On average, the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust Has over 6,400 acres (2,590 hectares) of land within its jurisdiction. They ensure that such land is not used for anything else but preservation.

They have an office in Fayetteville and employ a group of people, including land surveyors. Their team ensures all properties within their watch are correctly managed. They ensure the land stays that way, and the community can make the most of it.

While it’s cool to see apartment complexes and roads being built as a sign of development, they can take over land, a precious resource in NWA. It’s a good thing the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust emphasizes land preservation.

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Some of the properties around the NWA that the Land Trust protects include the following:

Blackburn Bluffs Preserve
Wilson Springs Preserve
Frog Bayou Preserve
Rotten Bluff Preserve
West Side Prairie
Harris on Kessler
Thunder Ridge Ranch East
Osage Creek Gibbs
Smith Family Farm
Graham Family Homestead

How Does Northwest Arkansas Land Trust Help NWA?

I wouldn’t be surprised to see NWA turn into a massive cityscape in the future. This vibrant metro is home to four of the ten largest cities in Arkansas, so there’s enormous potential for development.

Many wonder if NWA could soon turn into Los Angeles, Austin, or any other city where you can see real estate developments left and right. With efforts from organizations like the Land Trust, we can only hope that their commitment to land preservation succeeds.

NWA has one benefit over many other areas: it still has time. They can look back at the past of other cities or metros and learn from their real-life experiences. In addition, they can learn valuable lessons from the past about what happens after the excessive selling of land and out-of-control development.

NWA is trying its best not to make the mistakes of others, and that is one way by which the NWA Land Trust is helping. It offers solution-based approaches, so when people visit the metro, they won’t be surrounded by concrete everywhere.

Instead, the Land Trust wants to make sure that there are natural outdoor areas. To do this, the organization isn’t only buying land to protect but also receiving donations from supporters of the cause.

With the growing land portfolio under the Land Trust, one can expect the organization to create a haven for people, communities, and nature. It’s nice to see how they strive to provide a place where people can live, work, and play.

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Recent Projects of the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust

To fully understand the importance of the Land Trust in NWA, let’s look at some of their recent projects. It manages both public and private properties in the metro. From a bird sanctuary to an outdoor classroom, the Land Trust spearheads several projects to conserve land and promote the quality of life in NWA.

The Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary

Birds that thrive on open grasslands are amongst the fastest-declining in North America. Betty Hinshaw, a United Methodist philanthropist, donated 25 acres (10 hectares) of property in Tontitown, Arkansas. In turn, the Land Trust converted it into a bird sanctuary. It’s a nature preserve committed to grassland birds’ conservation.

Lake Frances Preserve

At 830 acres, Lake Frances is a historic body of water in Siloam Springs. The Land Trust now manages the property, aiming to improve public access, wildlife habitat, and water quality. Surrounding the lake is a pine/oak woodland, known as one of the most significant in NWA.

Kessler Outdoor Classroom and Nature Center

The mission of the outdoor classroom is to give birth to a new generation of conservationists. It has three core activities – outreach, research, and education. Hands-on activities and guided hikes are available. It’s a popular venue for school field trips, allowing the young to learn more about nature and conservation.

Conclusion

It’s a joy seeing non-profit organizations like the NWA Land Trust actively working to promote land preservation in the metro. They protect various public and private properties, aiming to provide the residents with a balance of indoors and outdoors. As a result, it not only preserves land but also enhances the quality of life in NWA.