CPRG – U of A Oak Ridge Hill

In 2025, the Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC) collaborated with Metroplan and the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) and the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas to receive funding for restoration of the University of Arkansas Oak Ridge through a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The U of A will design and build a key section of the Oak Ridge paved trail across a challenging hillside, which will connect to existing paved trails on both ends. The Oak Ridge Paved Trail combined with the Maple Street Cycle Track and Razorback Regional Greenway will form a complete loop of trail around the main campus. The new section of trail built through this grant will be illuminated at night and parallels the Fayetteville Traverse natural surface trail to create options for the many trail users.

In addition, the WCRC will coordinate land restoration, which consists of 5.5 acres of forest, 1.7 acres of savanna, and 1.7 acres of prairie restoration throughout the U of A Natural Character Zone, as identified in the U of A Campus Landscape Manual. One hundred trees will be planted in the project area, too. These natural landscapes not only provides valuable ecosystem services, but also create opportunities for environmental education, environmental research, and quality of life recreation for generations of University of Arkansas students.

Additional Before Photos