TAKE ACTION NOW! Amid controversy and under threat of damming, Arkansas’ iconic Buffalo National River was designated as the country’s first National River in 1972. Despite that monumental step toward permanent protection, the river has remained mired in controversy. We had hoped that the fight for the Buffalo was finally won a few years ago, when the C&H hog farm that had polluted the river — causing algae blooms and poor water quality in the river and one of its tributaries — was finally ...

The Trails at Mena project is a proposed development on Rich Mountain north of Mena, within the boundaries of the Ouachita National Forest. Over a period of 5-10 years, Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism – Division of State Parks (ASP) would develop over 100 miles of mountain bike trails along with chair lifts and shuttle roads to move people and their bikes around on the mountain. In July 2024, Arkansas BHA entered comments on the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for ...

In mid-July I traveled to Mena for my first look at Rich Mountain, Arkansas’ second highest peak. I wanted to see for myself where the Trails at Mena project would go and imagine what the landscape might look like with bike lifts and trails scattered across the mountain. The proposed project under review by the US Forest Service would develop over 8,800 acres of the Ouachita National Forest into a downhill mountain bike park. The area would be operated by Arkansas State Parks and stretch ...

Catfish Camp 2024 Thirty people braved the heat June 21-23 at Lake Dardanelle State Park to spend time with friends and get out on the water chasing America’s favorite whiskered fish. Trot lines, noodles and drop line fishing from boats provided a couple stringers of blue cats. High temperatures and lack of recent rainfall had the fish biting sporadically, but folks still managed to bring some fillets home for their freezers. The big fish of the weekend was a 13.2 lb blue cat caught by James ...

The Arkansas Chapter Board has an immediate opening for our Communications Chair.  This volunteer role is all about keeping our members in the loop. You'll be the mastermind behind our quarterly newsletter, social media buzz, blog posts, and email blasts. To lighten the load, you can even build a team of volunteers to help you out. Just like a quarterback, you'll work with the board and other volunteers to get the content flowing and keep our chapter connected with everyone who matters. The ...