Project: Connecting Communities to Urban Streams and Forests in a Low-Income Neighborhood in Fayetteville, AR

Timeframe: September 2024 – December 2028

Project Partners: USDA Forest Service – Inflation Reduction Act Urban and Community Forestry (funder), Watershed Conservation Resource Center (awardee and project lead), Northwest Arkansas Black Heritage, Beaver Watershed Alliance, American YouthWorks and Arkansas Conservation Corps, City of Fayetteville, and Beaver Water District.

Project Overview: The Watershed Conservation Resource Center (WCRC) was awarded $2.67 million in Inflation Reduction Act Urban and Community Forestry funding by the USDA to restore Spout Spring Branch at Walker Park. Plans include the restoration of 3,300 feet of Spout Spring Branch, 7.5 acres of riparian area, and 22 acres of forest. The project fosters environmental justice by creating opportunities for a historically disadvantaged community to connect to and recreate in restored natural areas. The community will be engaged through volunteer opportunities and community stewardship events.

Projected Schedule*: (subject to change) 

  • Invasive Removal – Sept 2024 – Dec 2027
    • Invasive plant species will be removed and native vegetation will be reestablished
    • Pending landowner permission, invasive plants will be removed and native vegetation established along upper Spout Spring Branch
  • Spout Spring Restoration
    • Nov 2024 – Dec 2026 – develop restoration design plan
    • 2027 – 2028 – Construction + Maintenance
  • Walker Park Forest Restoration – Jan 2024 – Nov 2028
    • Restore 22 acres of forest in Walker Park
  • Conduct Monitoring – Jan 2024 – Nov 2028
    • WCRC will monitor sediment and phosphorous load reductions
    • Beaver Water District will collect macroinvertebrate and fish data before and after restoration
  • Community Engagement – Sep 2024 – Dec 2028
    • Beaver Watershed Alliance (BWA) will hold community stewardship events
    • Northwest Arkansas Black Heritage Association will develop info on cultural history of the Walker Park neighborhood for interpretive signage
    • BWA and WCRC will offer courses on invasive removal and native plant establishment

Download Project Fact Sheet here

Download Project Map here