CPRG – Bella Vista Razorback Greenway

In 2025 the Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC) partnered with Metroplan and the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) and the City of Bella Vista to receive funding for restoration of the Razorback Greenway corridor stream and riparian zones through a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Bella Vista project is located along the Little Sugar Creek in Bella Vista, Arkansas. The Razorback Greenway runs through the project area. The WCRC is working with the City of Bella Vista to restore 42 acres of riparian forest and 1.8 acres of wetland habitat along Little Sugar Creek. The estimated combined carbon reduction and sequestration from this project is 9,000 metric tons during 2025-2050. The stream restoration will help to protect the trail infrastructure and support a planned water trail along Little Sugar Creek.

Several wetlands occur throughout the region surrounding the project area in both the wooded riparian area and the open grasslands and provide unique habitat for aquatic and land-dwelling animals. All wetland areas within the project area will undergo similar management techniques of targeting non-native and invasive plant species for removal through physical and chemical means. This allows more native vegetation to thrive in these areas. Several forested wetlands are also present in the project area with woody invasive species beginning to encroach into these areas. Several of these areas lie within the wooded riparian sections and will experience similar cut and paint removal applications.

The wooded riparian area serves as a crucial buffer between the open grasslands and the stream corridor. Maintaining this healthy riparian area is important for reducing streambank erosion, improving water quality, and removing excess nutrients and soil from surface runoff. The mature stands of trees appear to be in good condition, with little to no maintenance required to maintain this condition.

One of the main tools to begin converting the non-native grasses to natives will be to utilize prescribed fire on the landscape. While prescribed fire cannot be used to completely eliminate undesirable vegetation, it can be used to create enough disturbance to give a competitive advantage to native vegetation during the following growing season.