A WALK IN THE PARK: I appreciate the foresight of those who have been instrumental in preserving places of beauty

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

— One of the most scenic areas in Arkansas, and one of my favorite places in the state, is the Buffalo National River and the surrounding wilderness area.

Describing the region’s spectacular beauty creates a challenge which is best met with a visit to see its sky-high bluff walls rising above bluegreen water, varieties of wildlife including elk, waterfalls and abundant trees and wildflowers.

I make it a point to encourage newcomers to the state to see the area and have personally taken several people there to see it for the first time. I don’t think anyone can understand the beautyof the Arkansas Ozarks entirely short of taking a journey that includes at least a little exploration of the river and the surrounding landscape.

The Buffalo is a 150-mile-long river that meanders from its beginning as a tiny stream in the Boston Mountains eastward though the Ozarks, finally merging into the White River. It is one of the only major streams in our part of the state that has not been impeded by a dam. The Buffalo River has been kept free flowing due to the outcome of a hard-fought battle four decades ago.

You may have seen or heard some of the media coverage recently noting that 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the designation and protection of the Buffalo River as our country’s first National River. This feat took an Act of Congress signed back in 1972 bythen-president Richard Nixon.

The act, specifically Public Law 92-237, insured protection of the river and surrounding land. The act included conservation of the Buffalo’s unique geologic features, preservation of the river as a free-flowing stream, regulation of the ways in which the river and lands surrounding it could be used in the coming years and, most controversially, acquisition of lands by various means from surrounding land owners. Had PL 92-237 not been passed, plans to dam the river (possibly in more than one spot) would likely have been carried out and some of the most scenic natural beauty of the state would now be underwater. Although the region stood to benefit from the lakes that would have been formed, conservationists and nature lovers couldn’t sit back and let the river be changed forever in this drastic way. The battle that ensued took severalyears and was fought by dedicated groups and individuals on both sides of the issue.

I was barely a teen when this was happening. My family’s land was not close enough to the river to be affected by the changes directly, but I still remember the “talk” of concern among some adults during that time. People who had made their living off the land and very often didn’t own much else understandably had difficulty relinquishing it “for the good of generations to come.” I think of this and feel grateful each time I get to wander around the area freely, to hike the Lost Valley Trail or stand near the tall bluffs at Steel Creek. I try not to take these opportunities for granted.

I am most appreciative of those who had the fortitude and foresight to fight for the preservation of this special place for all of us to experience. One of the leaders in the fight to preserve the river was Dr. Neil Compton, who, if still living, would turn one hundred years old this year. This physician and naturalist had very close ties to Gentry and other parts of Benton County. Iplan to make this the topic of my next writing, so stay tuned.

Annette Rowe is a freelance writer from rural Gentry and a speech-language pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by email at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 05/23/2012