Regional Planners to Target Properties for Preservation

The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission is using a $350,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation to document the inventory of property already under protection as well as property that might be a good fit for future conservation.

Called the Northwest Arkansas Regional Open Space Master Plan, it will list and prioritize the natural landscapes that make the region unique. The plan will also include a strategy and tools for conserving those landscapes and provide a framework for public use.

With a population that’s expected to climb to about 700,000 by 2035, now is the time to start thinking about protecting the region’s natural treasures for future generations, said John McLarty, the commission’s transportation planner.

“We’ve been wanting to do something like this for several years,” he said.

The commission is in the process of finding a consulting firm to conduct the 18-month study, which could begin as early as October. The master plan will be of particular interest to local, state and federal governments, as well as nonprofits interested in preserving key natural assets, McLarty said.

The catch, he added, is that the conservation plan is based on voluntary action, not government-backed condemnations and eminent domain.

Partners that will work with the commission and consultants to generate the plan are expected to include the Northwest Arkansas Council, Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association, Illinois River Watershed Partnership, Beaver Watershed Alliance and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

Recent high-profile preservation projects in Northwest Arkansas include Mount Kessler in Fayetteville, Rabbit’s Foot Lodge in Springdale and Devil’s Eyebrow in northern Benton County. All of those projects have a component for public use.