The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission recently closed on a 937-acre addition to Warren Prairie Natural Area (NA). The ANHC and Potlatch Corporation signed a purchase agreement for this property in November 2016 at a dedication event for the new walking trail at Warren Prairie NA.
Located in the West Gulf Coastal Plain, Warren Prairie NA conserves a variety of rare habitats, including saline barrens, oak flatwoods, mound woodlands, marshes, pine woodlands, and bottomland hardwood forests. Home to the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis, RCW) and the state’s largest population of the federally endangered plant Geocarpon minimum, the natural area is recognized by the National Audubon Society as a Globally Important Bird Area. Recreational opportunities include bird-watching, hiking, bow hunting, and nature photography.
As part of the ANHC’s System of Natural Areas, Warren Prairie NA is co-owned by the ANHC and The Nature Conservancy. Funding for this acquisition comes from the ANHC’s share of the Department of Arkansas Heritage’s Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council grant and a 2016 Forest Legacy Grant award administered by the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
For more information about the area, including a photo gallery, visit the Warren Prairie Natural Area page on our site.
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