NATIVE EXPEDITIONS
USFS & 30 Ouachita Schools
Collaborative Restoration Efforts
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Students from the region within and surrounding the Ouachita National Forest have had the opportunity to visit the Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Ecosystem on the Buffalo Road Tour, located just south of Waldron, AR. This tour represents the habitat restoration efforts of the past 20+ years that the USFS has done to restore forest communities. The Buffalo Road Tour is often highlighted by a USFS guide for environmental education to understand the benefits of the restoration efforts of how thinning the basal area, prescribed burning, reducing woody midstory, and specific species habitat management for wildlife like the Red cockaded woodpecker.
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Streambank Restoration
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MILKWEED FOR MONARCH BUTTERFLIES
Fall 2014 - Summer 2016 Native Expeditions and Monarch Watch are partnering to assist the US Forest Service with environmental education for Monarch butterflies to include planting multiple species of milkweed to restore habitat with students during September and October. This project was planned to initiate during the third week of September where schools in the Ouachita National Forest will be asked to participate by planting 50-100 milkweed plants at their school or otherwise designated USFS site locations (CFLRP-Buffalo Rd., Mauldin, or Blue Moon areas). Native Expeditions staff coordinated school participation and provided video/photo documentation and environmental education support in addition to Monarch Watch staff providing educational materials and information. Nine Schools in the Ouachita National Forest area participated with over 800 students planting milkweed at their school and on designated US Forest Service sites within the National Forest. 2,000 milkweed plants were planted!! PLEASE TAKE TIME TO DOWNLOAD THE "MILKWEED FOR MONARCHS" FLYER BELOW THE PICTURES TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP CONTINUE OUR PROJECT. THANK YOU!! |
May 7th 2014 - Mauldin USFS Site
70 Mt. Ida 4th graders participated to plant milkweed plants for Monarch butterflies. Milkweed is the only plant that Monarch's lay their eggs on where the larva (caterpillar) use as a food source. Without milkweed, the larva would not be able to develop into a butterfly. There is over 100 species of milkweed in North America. Why Milkweed? Milkweed contains a variety of chemical compounds that make monarch caterpillars poisonous to potential predators. Adult monarchs feed on the nectar from many flowers, which contain sugars and other nutrients. These nectar sources help the monarchs on their long 2000 to 3000 mile journey from Canada, the USA, and into central Mexico roosting for the winter in the forests of the Sierra Madre Mountains. |
The Buffalo Road Tour
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The Buffalo Road Tour is located 7 miles south of Waldron, just west of the Needmore community, turning off of US Hwy 71. Buffalo Road is opposite the east turn onto Arkansas Hwy 28. Look for the sign Buffalo Creek Road and turn west.
The brochure you see to the left includes a map and indicates approximate "Stops" along the tour where you will find informational signs which tell the story of the forest and habitat restoration that has been done in certain areas. Many of the trees are marked indicating where Red cockaded woodpecker nests are. Please download the PDF brochure for a glimpse at what you will find along the tour. We hope you enjoy the tour! Brochure: Designed and created in collaboration with Dardanelle High School EAST students, and Joe Neal |
