Meet and greet welcomes Blair
Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area will host a meet and greet event on Wednesday to welcome Avery Blair, the park's new volunteer coordinator, and for new and experienced volunteers to learn about opportunities at Arkansas' largest state park.
People may attend a 2 p.m. event or at 6:30 p.m. in the outdoor education pavilion or inside the visitor center, depending on weather. There will be a brief presentation and refreshments will be served. Those who have never volunteered at the park but would like to are encouraged to attend a session.
For more information contact Blair, [email protected] or (479) 789-5009.
Help clean Lee Creek
The annual Lee Creek Cleanup hosted by Devil's Den State Park will be from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Volunteers should meet at the horse camp pavilion on Arkansas 220 on the west end of the park.
Cleanup area is from the park to the Arkansas 220 bridge. Lunch will be provided from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the horse camp pavilion. Prize drawings will be from noon to 1 p.m.
Contact Terry Anderson, park interpreter, (479) 761-3823, [email protected] for more information.
Hunt early-bird ducks
The free program, "Introduction to hunting blue wing and green wing teal" will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center, 3400 N. 40th St., in Springdale. No registration is required.
Teal are among the first ducks to migrate south into Arkansas each year. Special early teal season in Arkansas is Sept. 15-30.
Be a better bow shooter
A three-session program on archery fundamentals will be held Sept. 13-15 at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center from 6 to 8 p.m. Students should attend all three sessions of the free program.
It's designed for archers 16 and older to improve their accuracy and distance by hitting bull's eyes standing and sitting with different types of bows. All equipment is furnished.
Email [email protected] to register.
Hike includes 7 river crossings
Hill 'N Dale hiking club will hike September 14th from the Centerpoint trailhead northeast of Ponca to the Buffalo National River Steel Creek campground on the Old River Trail. This hike includes spurs to the Goat Trail overlook and Granny Henderson's cabin. The hike is 8.8 miles with seven river crossings.
All hikers are welcome. Those interested should contact Bev Munstermann, (479) 721-2193 or [email protected]. Visit bvhikingclub.com for more information.
See birds at Beaver Lake
Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip at the Beaver Lake nursery pond at 9 a.m. Sept. 17. All are welcome. Audubon membership is not required.
The trip will be easy walking around the 30-acre pond that is adjacent to Beaver Lake. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission raises different species of fish in the pond for stocking into Beaver Lake. It's also a haven for all types of birds.
To reach the pond from Rogers, travel east on Arkansas 12, across Beaver Lake, to Key Road. Turn south on Key Road and go approximately 3 miles. The road ends at the nursery pond parking area. There are no restrooms on site. For details call Joe Neal, (479) 521-1858.
Catch catfish in Centerton
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will host a fall family fishing derby from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 24 at Centerton Lake in Centerton.
Game and Fish will stock the lake with channel catfish. Fishing is open to all ages. Anglers should provide their own tackle, bait and container to take their fish home.
Explore wetlands, stay dry
Osage Park in Bentonville will host free wetland expedition field trips for people of all ages from 10 a.m to 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.
Trips will visit various stations in the park to learn about macro-invertebrates, beaver dams, erosion, water quality, invasive species management and more.
Wetland field trips for seventh-grade classrooms will cover the same topics. They will be offered from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 12-14. Visit peelcompton.org to register for the all-ages trips or to register a seventh-grade classroom.
Iconic caverns now open
Ozark-St. Francis National Forest officials have reopened Blanchard Springs Caverns after a two-year closure. Tours are available Thursdays-Mondays and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays."
Blanchard Springs Caverns, near Mountain View, is considered a premier "living" cave system open for public tour in the national forest system.
Amy Burt, Ozark-St. Francis National Forest recreation staff officer said tickets must be prepurchased through www.recreation.gov. Advanced ticketing for tours will allow the cavern to adequately staff guided tours on the Dripstone Trail and provide a more enhanced visitor experience.
Wanted: landowner opinion
Landowners in the Illinois River watershed are being asked to take part in a 10-to 15-minute voluntary online survey from the Illinois River Watershed Partnership in Cave Springs. The survey is part of research taking place to gather opinion from landowners in the watershed about conservation easements.
Visit https://uark.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3mEpclabsCmzDPE
to take the survey. There is no cost involved and participants have the option of being entered into a drawing for one of 10 free $50 Amazon gift cards.
Contact Leif Kindberg, watershed partnership director, [email protected] for more information.