PRAIRIES IN NORTHWESTERN ARKANSAS This original map is a section of a map produced by botanist Ed Dale. The map shows original prairie habitat distribution in northwestern Arkansas. A number of bird species now rare or declining are directly associated with these habitats: Henslow's Sparrow, Bell's Vireo, Willow Flycatcher, Sedge Wren, Grasshopper Sparrow, Painted Bunting, and others (Mike Mlodinow is keeping the list). All of these birds have been found on the Wilson Spring Prairie at Fayetteville (officially, the Business Technology Park). I plotted on this map the location of Wilson Spring Prairie at Fayetteville (W). This is the original prairie of Prairie Township (Fayetteville). It extended all the way to the Prairie Grove and Lincoln areas of Washington County. I also plotted Flanagan Prairie (F) near Charleston, the only other known summer location for Henslow's Sparrow in Arkansas. This tract is of size similar to Wilson Springs. It is protected by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. Wilson Spring Prairie at Fayetteville is known to support a rare fish, Arkansas Darter, and a rare bird, Henslow's Sparrow. It is under immediate threat of development and has no legal protection. Based upon research in other Arkansas prairie areas, there is a reasonable likelihood that Wilson Spring Prairie may still support other plants and animals made rare by widespread prairie habitat loss in northwestern Arkansas. The Wilson spring Prairie is especially significant because it is a seasonally wet prairie and has remained so despite attempts to drain it via ditching of Clabber Creek in 1990. --Joe Neal May 3, 2002 Back  |  Home