Do We Have to Protect the Buffalo National River, AGAIN?!
Conservation vs. Development and an Upcoming Town Hall to get more Information.
There have been many struggles over the Buffalo River. The Army Corps of Engineers tried to dam it up, but the people struggled to keep it wild and natural. It became the first national river in 1972, protecting it from the threat of being dammed. During that time, a lot of local people lost their land to the designation. What once was their land, became Buffalo National River land.
Ten years ago, a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) hog farm set up operation, sliding through because of the lack of zoning laws in the county. Well educated activists, the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, saw what was happening and understood the impact that a hog farm of that scale could have on the Buffalo River. It was a complicated situation because the family who set up the hog farm thought it was a good way to be able to live in the beautiful, wild of Newton County and make a living—something that is very difficult to do. But the activists, worked closely with the community, and with governor Asa Hutchinson in horribly tense negotiations to come to an equitable solution that managed the family’s needs as well as protected the river.
Now, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is talking about increasing tourism in the state. The Walton boys, Tom and Steuart, with The Runway Group are sending surveys to locals, and talking about conservation and development simultaneously. Can these two concepts exist simultaneously? There is talk about changing the designation of the Buffalo National River to a Buffalo National Park.
Other considerations:
Tom and Steuart just bought the 350 acre Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for $9,000,000. They have also bought 700 acres on Mt. Shiloh, as well as most of the property on the square in Kingston.
Johnny Morris, owner of Bass Pro Shops and Big Cedar, has bought the Dogpatch properties, Marble Falls, as well as the adjoining Mystic Caverns. He is said to be a conservationist. He has paid the state a lot of money to actually move Highway 7 around Dogpatch so that it doesn’t cut through the property. (This sounds ridiculous to those of us who have lived here our whole lives).
Newton County has ZERO zoning laws.
Governor Huckabee Sanders’ husband is now in charge of the Natural Initiative Committee.
Other people and organizations involved:
The Buffalo River Conservation Committee - This committee was activists working with Governor Asa Hutchinson and it has members from the Health Department, Agriculture, Arkansas Department of Environment and Quality, Game and Fish, and local people to work together and protect the Buffalo River.
it is hoped that Sarah Huckabee Sanders will not disband this committee.
Remnants Project - Stories of the Arkansas Ozarks and Buffalo River. Preserving local heritage of the Arkansas Ozarks & Buffalo River one story at a time.
Senator Irvin - on a Searcy committee with talks of Bike trails from Newton County to Searcy. Her daughter is said to work for Johnny Morris.
Buffalo National River Partners is a volunteer organization that helps the park service with money, services, public relations. Melissa Trinchik.
Haven’t had a National Park Superintendant for a whole year. Evidently Angela Boyers has been hired but is not active yet. Jesse Morris is acting interim.
There is a Town Hall Meeting scheduled for October 26 to discuss the implications of all of these elements. It will be held at Carroll Electric Co-op, 511 E. Court St., Jasper, Arkansas, at 6p.m. People invited to this forum include:
Runway's JT Geren, Deputy Director of Communications and Marketing
Representative Womack may send a representative
No response from Representative Westerman’s office.
We will be reaching out to other stakeholders and policy makers.
If you have any interest in preserving the Buffalo River and surrounding land, please come out and ask questions/voice your concerns.
Images of the Buffalo River from the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance.