Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

06/06/2026

Happy National Prairie Day and World Trails Day! 🌾🌍

This Saturday is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the beauty of Arkansas prairies. Our remnant prairies in Arkansas preserve the history of an important habitat that once stretched across the continent. The prairies protected in ANHC’s System of Natural Areas continue to support an astonishing array of native plants and wildlife today.

Whether you’re walking through sweeping grasslands filled with native wildflowers or exploring winding trails that connect you to Arkansas’ natural heritage, these landscapes offer a rare glimpse into habitats that are increasingly uncommon. One of the best places to experience World Trails Day and National Prairie Day is right here in the Natural State: Cherokee Prairie Natural Area in Charleston, Arkansas (pictured here).

Taking time to explore a prairie is more than a scenic outing; it’s also a chance to witness an irreplaceable ecosystem up close. Prairie remnants shelter pollinators, grassland birds, native grasses as well as an entire community of species uniquely adapted to open, sunlit landscapes maintained by periodic fire. Trails at these sites offer safe ways to enjoy the scenery while helping protect sensitive habitat.

If you’re heading outdoors this weekend, remember to stay on marked paths and practice good stewardship of native habitat. Together, we can help ensure these special places remain healthy, vibrant and accessible for generations to come.

📸 Photo courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.

06/03/2026

The 2026 Nocturnal Kayak Tour has been postponed!

Due to unusually low water levels this May, the event is being pushed back to late June to ensure safe and enjoyable float conditions. The new dates are as follows:
• Friday, June 26 – Wildlife Professionals
• Saturday, June 27 – General Public

If you already reserved a spot, please text Grace Lovett at 501‑772‑8337 to confirm or cancel your spot on the tour. All remaining spots will be available on a first‑come, first‑served basis via text.

Thank you for your patience and understanding!

05/21/2026

What an excellent example of the dedication it takes to keep a species thriving and a wonderful reminder that conserving shortleaf and loblolly pine ecosystems is essential to the recovery of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Leuconotopicus borealis)! It's inspiring to see wildlife responding to decades of careful and intentional habitat management.

Thank you to all of our partners involved in this important recovery work.

All birds were handled with appropriate federal and state permits and training.

05/20/2026

Another World Bee Day has arrived! 🐝 Check out this post from last year celebrating the incredible array of Arkansas native bees!

🐝 Happy World Bee Day! 🐝 May 20 is , a time to celebrate one of our favorite pollinators!

Did you know Arkansas is home to more than 400 species of native bees? From metallic green sweat bees to fuzzy bumblebees, these important insects play a vital role in keeping our ecosystem healthy. Some plants, including many foods, have specialized anthers that require a pollination technique called buzz-pollination (or sonication), which only certain bees can perform.

World Bee Day helps raise awareness about the importance of bees and the many threats they face, including habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and disease. The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission conserves vital pollinator habitat across the state, including prairies, forests, glades, and wetlands that support many diverse native bee species. Protecting these spaces through our System of Natural Areas helps ensure these essential pollinator species can continue to thrive.

This month, considering letting your lawn grow to let wildflowers bloom and provide habitat for bees and other pollinators! Let’s keep the buzz going year-round by planting bee-friendly native flowers, avoiding pesticides, and supporting land conservation efforts in your area.

📸: Photos by ANHC Staff.

05/19/2026

Did you know we are hiring? The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) is seeking a Chief of Stewardship (Biologist II) to help lead our team of conservation professionals dedicated to protecting Arkansas’ rare species and natural communities.

This Little Rock-based, full-time position plays a key role in managing the ANHC System of Natural Areas, which spans nearly 80,000 acres across each of the state’s unique ecoregions. The position will lead the agency’s stewardship team in planning and coordinating management of Natural Areas across the state.
If you're an experienced land manager with a strong background in biology, ecology or ecosystem restoration, as well as a passion for preserving Arkansas’ natural heritage, we’d love to hear from you!

📍Little Rock
Learn more and apply here: https://arcareers.arkansas.gov/job/Little-Rock-BIOLOGIST-II-AR-72201/1391513100/

05/18/2026

We’re happy to partner on this exciting event again this year!

RSVP required. See more details below! 👇

Please join Quail Forever, Arkansas Game and Fish, Audubon Delta, and the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission for a guided nocturnal wildlife kayak tour at Grassy Lake water trail in Mayflower, AR May 29th & 30th (Rain date June 5th & 6th).

Audubon Delta has provided 6 canoes and 2 kayaks to reserve through Grace Lovett (501-772-8337). The tour will begin at 8 PM.

RSVP is required for this limited capacity event, please text Grace Lovett (501) 772- 8337 to reserve your spot and if you are bringing your own kayak or you need a vessel.

05/15/2026

05/15/2026

In observance of Endangered Species Day, today’s is the federally endangered Pondberry (Lindera melissifolia). This native shrub grows in seasonally flooded, bottomland forests of eastern Arkansas.

Pondberry blooms in early spring, producing clusters of yellow-ish flowers before it forms colonies of fragrant leaves. This plant is known as a clonal shrub, which means male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Later in the season, Pondberry bears bright red berries, which provide food for gamebirds and songbirds, particularly thrushes. Also known as Southern Spicebush, it serves as an important host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus).

Pondberry has been listed as federally endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1986. Its decline is closely tied to the loss, alteration and fragmentation of its specialized wetland habitat. To help safeguard this rare species, ANHC works with partners nationwide to protect and manage habitat, monitor and collect data, conduct genetic studies and propagate plants to support long-term conservation and restoration efforts.

📸 Photos by ANHC Staff.

05/12/2026

Are you passionate about conserving Arkansas' natural heritage? Join our team!

The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission is seeking applicants for a part-time (extra help) Conservation Specialist position. While ANHC's offices are based out of Little Rock, Conservation Specialists also spend much of their time in the field across the state, working on the nearly 80,000 acres that make up the System of Natural Areas.

Responsibilities: Conduct on-site land stewardship activities, including prescribed burns, boundary demarcation, trail and infrastructure maintenance, invasive species removal and plant/animal surveys.

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in natural resource management, biology, forestry, or a related field. Must be able to work in field conditions, positively contribute to team efforts and communicate effectively in written and verbal formats.

Don't miss this opportunity to make a difference in the Natural State! Apply now: https://arcareers.arkansas.gov/job/Little-Rock-CONSERVATION-SPECIALIST-AR-72201/1387684000/.

05/09/2026

Today is World Migratory Bird Day, the perfect moment to celebrate the incredible journeys of neotropical migratory birds and the conservation work happening right here in Arkansas to help protect them.

This spring also marked the close of another successful season of the Monitoreo de Sobrevivencia Invernal (MoSI) program at the Little Rock Audubon Center, Arkansas’ only active MoSI station. The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission is proud to continue supporting this winter survival monitoring initiative organized by the Institute for Bird Populations.

Led by ANHC Conservation Biologist Kevin Krajcir, Audubon staff, central Arkansas volunteers, Hendrix College faculty and students and additional ANHC staff, this collaborative effort tracks overwinter survival and habitat use of migratory birds. These migrants are what connects Arkansas to ecosystems across the hemisphere.

During the most recent banding season (November 2025 - March 2026), the team recorded a total of 150 bird encounters, including 127 newly banded individuals as well as an impressive 20 recaptures. While total encounters were slightly lower than the previous season, this season still brought exciting milestones:
- Five new species were captured at this MoSI station for the first time: Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Towhee, Fox Sparrow, LeConte’s Sparrow and Purple Finch.
- Several previously banded birds were recaptured, including a Northern Cardinal, Carolina Chickadee and multiple Field Sparrows, important indicators of the long‑term value of ongoing monitoring.

On this World Migratory Bird Day, we celebrate not only the birds making extraordinary journeys across continents, but also the dedicated people working to understand and protect them.

Learn more about the MoSI program and its role in bird conservation here: https://www.birdpop.org/pages/mosi.php.

📸 Species pictured from left to right: Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca), LeConte’s Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii), Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) and Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus). All birds were captured, handled and safely released by individuals with proper training as well as appropriate state and federal permits.