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To see the Framework Plan for the River Commons & Institute, follow this link to see pictures of a world class environmental and cultural training hub.
Ecologically Sensitive Development of the Dead Horse Mountain Property
Watershed Conservation Resource Center
June 5, 2021
The Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC) and the City of Fayetteville purchased a 98-acre property along Dead Horse Mountain Road to protect and restore the wetlands, floodplain, and other natural features. Near downtown Fayetteville (Figure 1), the West Fork White River (WFWR) runs through the property that mostly lies in the 100-year floodplain. Historically, areas of prairie were mapped in the 1834 land survey. Later the property was developed for agriculture land use. In the early 2000’s, 25 acres were excavated for top soil, and today this area appears to be a large pond, but over time has evolved into low quality wetlands. The expansive floodplain and wetlands are important natural features that serve to filter out sediment and nutrients from floodwaters, which in turn helps to protect Northwest Arkansas’ drinking water source, Beaver Lake. Through the cooperation of many partners, ecological restoration and protection of this important natural area is possible. The goals for the property are:
To accomplish these goals, the WCRC is working with partners to create The River Institute of Northwest Arkansas. The River Institute will be a vehicle to continue needed river restoration and will engage with the community to convey a sense of place in our natural environment. Access to the Dead Horse Mountain Property will provide the community the opportunity to directly experience its restoration, natural features, and history. The WCRC teamed with the University of Arkansas Community Design Center (UACDC) and the Arkansas Archeological Survey to integrate riverine ecology with interactive art, design and history. The River Institute can serve as a national model for riverine education and advocacy, while supporting local ecological restoration. The WCRC developed a two-phase approach to help achieve these goals and is seeking funding to implement Phase I. A portion of funding has been secured to initiate conceptual designs for the overall vision of The River Institute which is described in both Phase I and Phase II.
Phase I: The River Institute of Northwest Arkansas
The WCRC, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, is raising funds to create The River Institute of Northwest Arkansas. Integrating science, design, and the humanities, The River Institute will focus on the ecological restoration of rivers, riparian, wetlands, prairies, and floodplains, and their importance in providing services including water quality, ecosystem health, and quality of life for people who live, work, and enjoy recreation in the region. The River Institute’s main facility will be adjacent to the wetlands (Figure 2), near the WFWR, and consist of the following elements:
The WCRC worked with the UACDC to develop a conceptual design for the facilities to initiate a capital campaign for establishing The River Institute’s main facility. A presentation of the conceptual design can be found at the following link: WCRC River Institute Portfolio
Phase II: The River Institute – Public Access for Riverine Commons
Phase II of The River Institute involves creating public access opportunities to the Dead Horse Mountain property (98 acres) on the WFWR in which the commons or open space will house environmental art, recreation facilities, a transit node in a developing intercity water trail, and trail exhibits memorializing Native American riparian life-ways, as well as the historic Euroamerican and African American cultural landscapes that were formative to Fayetteville and its early agriculture. A site map showing an overview of the site was developed during the conceptual design described in Phase I and is shown in Figure 3. The WCRC was thrilled when the Arkansas Archeological Survey joined the team to develop themes for the public access that included outdoor, interactive exhibits and suggested Native American food plots be created and maintained. The three organizations worked together and the UACDC submitted an application to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grants to develop a “Public Access Master Plan for Fayetteville Riverine Commons.” The UACDC was selected for 2021 funding and will receive $25,000.
About two miles from downtown Fayetteville, the Dead Horse Mountain Property is the perfect location for people to engage with the natural environment. In addition to exhibits, there will be walking trails for the public to enjoy the natural areas, such as wetlands, prairie, & floodplains, birding, and native plant identification. There will also be paddling access to the wetlands and to the WFWR. This will be an excellent canoe/kayak takeout or put-in for people floating the WFWR, which at this time, has no public access areas to the river. The news release by the University of Arkansas for the NEA award to the UACDC can be found at: https://news.uark.edu/articles/55944/community-design-center-wetlands-project-awarded-national-endowment-for-the-arts-grant
For More Information or To Donate: Contact Sandi Formica, Executive Director, WCRC at formica@watershedconservation.org
Thank you for helping us make a difference and believing in our dream for Northwest Arkansas.