Water Trails

[Natural Heritage Nate]

I am interested in hearing people's ideas for water trails on Arkansas Natural Heritage Areas. I oversee the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission's (ANHC) trails and have discussed with my supervisors and Kirsten Bartlow of AGFC about developing some water trails on our Natural Areas. Seven Devils and Goose Pond are a couple that have drawn some attention. Please let me know your desires and concerns.

If you have yet to discover ANHC's Natural Areas you should check out our website and sign up for our newsletter at http://www.naturalheritage.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Any questions or comments can be directed to me, Nate Preisendorfer, ANHC, Land Management Specialist, nathan@arkansasheritage.org

Hope some of you are out paddling in this semi-mild summer weather!!!! Enjoy, be safe, and feel free to pack out more than you packed in, you get extra "warm n' fuzzy" points for plastic Wal-Mart "sacks". ~Nate

[DeBo]

Hello Nate!

I am conservation chair for the club and I am very interested in water trails. I have worked with Kirsten on the Wattensaw Bayou Trail and a couple of others. This spring I did a four day trip on the Roanoak River Trail in North Carolina, which I believe is a good model for a system of trails here in Arkansas.

We have also worked with State Parks and the National Refuges. I would like to see us form a partnership with agencies and the public to work on water trails.

I would love to have Natural Heritage involved in this. I know there are several natural areas which could include water trails. Cove Creek would be a good example. I am also sending you an email with my phone number.

Debbie Doss

PS Most of us pick up some trash whenever we are out including those Wal-Mart bags "Arkansas Tumbleweeds"

[Crane]

I probably should do my own research, but are our Water Trails listed with the American Canoe Association program? Also, I understand they have some grant money available in small batches for signage, etc... How about an Arkansas Water Trails program for a Central Chapter meeting?? Crane

[Kirsten Bartlow]

We do have Wattensaw Bayou Water Trail listed on the ACA's web page. AR Post Water Trail is not on their site yet. We (AR Game and Fish Commission) are working through a little bureaucratic hitch with our federal partners before this newest Water Trail becomes official.

I spoke at the Central Chapter's meeting on AR Water Trails sometime in the last year or two. I would be more than happy to speak again to help build more momentum on this program. Here's a link to the AR Water Trail program on the AGFC web site:
http://www.agfc.com/education/Pages/Edu ... msAWT.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I truly appreciate you all sharing your paddling expertise with us on this program. I look forward to continued work with the ACC and as Nate knows, we are interested in establishing trails on appropriated Heritage sites and other public sites.

I can be reached at kpbartlow@agfc.state.ar.us

Thanks,
Kirsten